§1806 Visa integrity fee

Summary

The Secretary of Homeland Security must charge a fee to anyone who is issued a nonimmigrant visa at the time the visa is issued. For fiscal year 2025 the fee will be the greater of $250 or a higher amount the Secretary sets by rule. For fiscal year 2026 and each year after, the fee will be last year’s fee plus an increase equal to last year’s fee multiplied by the percentage change (if any) in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for July compared with July of the prior year, with the result rounded down to the nearest dollar. Collected fees that are not refunded go to the general fund of the Treasury, and the fee cannot be waived or reduced. The Secretary may refund the fee to a person who gets a new nonimmigrant visa after their prior visa expired if the person shows they followed all visa rules after entering the United States (including not working without permission) and either left the United States no later than 5 days after their visa expired without seeking an extension, or were granted an extension of status or became a lawful permanent resident during the visa’s valid period.