Trump Slaps New ‘Integrity Fee’ On US Visas: Will Indians Face Heat Too? Here’s What Changed

Trump visa integrity fee: Indian travellers going to the United States on a trip will have to pay more for a visa. Beginning October 1, 2025, the Donald Trump administration will implement a new “visa integrity fee” of USD 250 (approximately Rs 22,000) on non-immigrant visa applicants from countries outside the US Visa Waiver Program. The additional fee, which is part of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" label given to it by the administration, brings the cost of a US visa to USD 442 (close to Rs39,000), making it one of the most expensive visitor visa fees in the world.

Effect On Indian Tourists

For Indians, who already shell out a lot of money for getting visas processed, the new policy is an added obstacle. The charge will be levied on first-time visitors as well as visa renewals. Reuters reports that US government statistics indicate Indian arrivals have already dipped in 2025. Visits are dropping 2.4 per cent so far this year, due to an 18 per cent fall in the number of Indian students. Travel agents indicate that the charge is likely to deter price-sensitive family travelers and students further. “Any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Altour, a global travel management company, in a statement to Reuters. The new fee will also affect visitors from Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and China, among others. The Trump administration has contended that the fee would be used to enhance visa tracking and curb overstays, but business leaders warn it will come back to haunt the US economy.

Tourism Decline Already Visible

The US Travel Association warned that higher visa costs risk “eroding America’s appeal as a global destination,” especially as overseas tourism is already under pressure. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), international visitor spending in the U. is projected to fall below USD 169 billion in 2025, down from USD 181 billion in 2024. Official figures confirm the slump. U.S. government data shows overseas arrivals in July 2025 dropped 3.1 per cent year-on-year to 19.2 million visitors, marking the fifth consecutive month of decline. Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics consultancy, had initially forecast a 10 per cent rise in overseas arrivals for 2025 but now expects a contraction of nearly 3 per cent. “This is a sustained setback, and much of it will remain in place throughout the administration,” Aran Ryan, Director of Industry Studies at Tourism Economics, told Reuters.

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Officials also noted that the new charge hits some of the regions where US tourism had been growing this year. Tourist travel from Mexico increased by almost 14 per cent during the period January to May 2025, with tourists from Argentina shooting up 20 per cent and Brazil 4.6 per cent, as reported by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). But, in contrast, arrivals from China are still 53 per cent down on 2019 levels, and European arrivals continue to decline.

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Some experts caution that the Trump administration's move could trigger retaliatory visa actions from other nations. "Travelers have been concerned about reciprocal fees that are going to be charged in the next few months," Seas 2 Day & Travel owner James Kitchen told Reuters. The addition of the "integrity fee" comes as part of a series of Trump administration restrictions, such as a proposed bond of up to USD 15,000 for certain visa categories and a proposed rule trying to reduce the length of student and cultural exchange visas. Indian tourists, at least for the time being, will have to buckle up for higher expenses as Washington's tough-line immigration policy redefines the world travel map.