The U.S. government is expected to impose a new fee on foreigners entering the country with non-immigrant visas, such as for tourism, business trips, and studying abroad. The 'visa integrity fee' could reach a minimum of $250 (around 350,000 won).

According to major media outlets, including CNBC, on the 18th (local time), the proposal to additionally collect this fee was included in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' recently signed by President Donald Trump. All visitors requiring non-immigrant visas, including tourists, business travelers, and students, will be subject to this fee.

However, it is expected that this fee will not be added for the issuance of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which is effectively a visa-free entry.

The actual fee will be collected separately at the time of visa issuance, in addition to the existing visa application fee. The expense is set at $250 for the 2025 fiscal year (October 2024 to September 2025). This expense may be adjusted upward in accordance with future inflation rates.

Travellers are checking in at the Delta Airlines check-in area at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City on the 7th of May 2025./Courtesy of Yonhap News

The U.S. government plans to refund this fee to visitors who comply with visa regulations. Conditions must be met, such as not overstaying the visa validity period by more than five days.

However, specific implementation dates or refund procedures have not been established. In particular, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted that it could take several years for the State Department to prepare the refund process.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated, 'Cooperation among several agencies is necessary before implementation.'

The U.S. government cited 'restoring the integrity of the immigration system' as the justification for this new fee.

However, CNBC reported that according to data from the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the overstay rate for non-immigrant visa visitors between 2016 and 2022 was only around 1-2%.

Voices of criticism have emerged from the U.S. travel industry. Concerns have grown that this measure creates new barriers for foreign visitors ahead of major events such as the 2026 North America World Cup.

The U.S. Travel Association also pointed out that this bill significantly cuts the budget of the American tourism promotion agency 'Brand USA,' calling it a 'foolish measure.'

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