Now Reading: US visa fee hike! Pay around Rs 40,000 in visa application fees from 2026; details here
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US visa fee hike! Pay around Rs 40,000 in visa application fees from 2026; details here
US visa fee hike! Pay around Rs 40,000 in visa application fees from 2026; details here
Seeking a US visa? You will quickly should shell out roughly Rs 40,000! The United States has carried out a brand new $250 ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ on all non-immigrant visa purposes, which is able to have an effect on expertise corporations by elevating their work visa bills. “The recently announced “Visa Integrity Fee” will act as a deterrent for new classes of Indian students, travellers etc applying for the US visa since the revised visa processing cost would be 2.5 times more than the existing fees,” an ET report quoted Keshav Singhania, Head – Private Client, Singhania & Co. as saying.
US Visa Fees Hike: How Much More Do You Have To Pay?
- For Indian nationals, the common vacationer visa prices are anticipated to rise by 2.5 instances, roughly hitting ₹40,000.
- From 2026, US visa candidates might want to pay $472 (roughly ₹40,456) in whole fees. This contains of the brand new Integrity Fee of $250, I-94 fee of $24, and ESTA fee of $13, US immigration providers agency Fragomen has stated in line with ET.
- This fee applies to numerous visa classes, together with vacationer/enterprise (B-1/B-2), scholar (F/M), work (H-1B), and trade (J) visas.
Also Read | Why have H-1B visa purposes plunged? Blame it on steep fee hike & Donald Trump’s anti-immigration stance
US Visa Fee Hike: Who Will It Hit?
Technology corporations from India and the US closely depend on work visas for transferring engineering professionals to America. “It is advisable that the working capital costs associated with the revised visa processing cost is carefully provided for by aspiring applicants,” Keshav Singhania informed the monetary every day, noting that candidates ought to safe visa appointments earlier than 2026 when the brand new cost begins. The new visa regulation was carried out beneath the Omnibus Act, a part of US President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill that grew to become regulation on July 4, with exceptions just for diplomatic visa classes (A and G).The cost, which is able to see annual inflation-adjusted will increase, serves as a safety deposit and is refundable if visa holders meet particular necessities. Visa holders can declare a refund in the event that they depart the US inside 5 days of their visa expiry with out making use of for extensions or standing modifications.Whilst this association may go well with vacationers, college students and professionals may have their funds locked for prolonged durations. “To cushion the blow, basis a preliminary reading of the Bill, the visa fees is to be seen as a security deposit refundable upon lawful exit from the states in compliance with one’s visa tenure and conditions,” Singhania stated.Also Read | Hoping for a US H-1B visa? Donald Trump administration’s stringent scrutiny doubtless; Indians ought to be ready for…
