The Trump administration continues to take a harder stance on foreign visitors with a ‘visa integrity fee’ to be implemented on Oct. 1. This fee would charge non-immigrant travelers visiting the U.S. $250 due at the time visas are issued, as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Countries such as Mexico, China, and Brazil will take on the most heat, with the cost for non-visa waiver countries now nearing $442, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Despite the rise in costs, the U.S. is preparing to host major international events, including America250, the Olympics, and the FIFA World Cup, which are expected to draw a large number of international visitors.
Currently, the largest numbers of international visitors in May came from Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil, according to the International Inbound Travel Association. The imposition of the fee is raising concerns among travel experts, who warn that any added friction could result in a decline in travel volumes. Gabe Rizzi, global travel management company Altour president, told Reuters that ‘any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount.’
Overseas visitors to the U.S. dropped 3.1% in July from the same time last year, according to Reuters. The new fee comes as the U.S. prepares to host the America250 events, the Olympics, and the FIFA World Cup matches. International visitor spending to the U.S. is projected to fall to just under $169BN this year, down from $181BN in 2024, as noted by the World Travel & Tourism Council report.
Tourism Economics director of industry studies Aran Ryan told Reuters that overseas travel to the U.S. this year would grow over 10% year over year, but the latest projections now show a 3% decline. The U.S. isn’t alone—countries worldwide are adding entry fees and tightening screening to capitalize on tourism while cracking down on abuse.
The British government recently rolled out an ‘Electronic Travel Authorization’ (ETA) that digitizes tourists’ requests to visit the country while paying a fee of about $13. The ETAs are linked to a traveler’s passport in an effort to smooth security checks and ‘prevent abuse’ of the immigration system.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration proposed a rule to limit the length of time international students can remain in the U.S. for their studies to four years and the duration of visas for cultural exchange visitors and members of the media. This rule, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security, seeks to curb ‘visa abuse’ and increase the agency’s ability to ‘properly vet and oversee these individuals.’