Visa process to go up by $250 thanks to new "integrity fee"

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The cost of processing a nonimmigrant visa, such as a tourist, student, or temporary visa, is about to go up by more than double, thanks to a new “visa integrity fee” policy.

The policy was approved via the Big Beautiful Bill, signed by President Donald Trump. Valley Central spoke to several people and an attorney who feel this increase is unnecessary and confusing.

Dalia Rios from Reynosa is surprised that the process to get a tourist visa may go up by $250 as part of a new "visa integrity fee" on top of the $185 people already pay for the process.

"It is an impact. I don't think it's right, but they must have their reasons," Rios said.

Rios said many people already spend a lot of time taking a risk in getting their visa, and this only makes it more discouraging for people to try. She is also well aware that a visa is not a permanent stay in the country.

"You use it for little shopping trips and to help us out, and well, the idea isn’t to stay — it’s just to come and go," Rios added.

However, others, such as Daisy Valencia, do not believe it is a big deal, as everything is going up.

"I think the people who come, well, they come to shop and have sufficient means, and well, this is part of the visa process — checking the resources the person has," Valencia said.

The increase is meant to encourage compliance with using visas strictly for visiting, studying, or temporary purposes and not for working or overstaying. But, this change has business owners like Gerardo Valdez of Visas Valdez in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, worried.

"Traveling to the United States is like a dream, and visiting certain places, but it’s very expensive," Valdez said. "If these fees start to increase, then other options open up for visiting other countries and other cities. It will have a big influence when it comes to starting the visa process.”

Attorney Hugo Pina believes the increase is unnecessary, pointing out that most people already comply with the rules, and this may only discourage students and other visitors from coming and shopping, impacting places like the Rio Grande Valley.

“I'll just go study somewhere else, right? For example, I don't want to deal with this," Pina said. "Maybe it won't affect some other people that it will be okay with it, but I think everything that we add on is kind of adding to this discouragement of people to come here.”

The $250 visa integrity fee is said to be refundable, but both Pina and Valdez say there is still no information on how that process will work.

Valdez says that as long as people stay within the time their visa allows and never work illegally, they should get their money back, but he worries about potential scammers taking advantage of the change.

"We need to watch out for scams because there will be people who take advantage of this information to manipulate it and use it for their benefit," Valdez said. "We have to stay alert to that kind of thing, right?”

This visa fee increase is expected to take effect on October 1, 2025, when the next fiscal year begins.

However, Valdez tells people not to get alarmed and to follow their local consulate and the State Department for any updates on when this fee might start being applied to applicants.

"On July 4, President Trump signed into law The One Big Beautiful Bill, which permanently secures our border and makes the largest investment in border security in a generation. We will provide more information regarding the implementation and impact of the law for the Department of State as soon as practicable," said a spokesperson of the State Department.