§1806 Visa Integrity Fee

Summary

The Secretary of Homeland Security must charge a fee to anyone who is issued a nonimmigrant (temporary) visa when it is issued, in addition to any other required fees. For fiscal year 2025 the fee is the greater of $250 or an amount the Secretary sets by rule. For fiscal year 2026 and each year after, the fee equals the previous year’s fee plus an increase based on the July-to-July change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, with the final number rounded down to the nearest dollar. Collected fees that are not paid back go into the Treasury’s general fund, and the fee cannot be waived or reduced. The Secretary may refund the fee to a visa holder who pays again after their visa expired if they show they followed all visa rules after entering the U.S. (including not working without permission) and either left the U.S. within 5 days after the visa expired and did not try to extend it, or during the visa’s validity were granted an extension or became a lawful permanent resident.