Whether for work reasons, to go sightseeing or simply to rest, enter USA became more expensive for foreign visitorsincluding travelers from Mexico, India, Brazil and China.
This increase occurs within the framework of the domestic policy bill of the government of Donald Trump y will affect those who wish to apply for a visasince, since October 1, They will have to pay a new fee called Visa Integrity Fee or «visa integrity fee» in Spanish.
What is the Visa Integrity Fee and who has to pay to enter the United States
The Visa Integrity Fee is a mandatory fee of $250 which is added to the current cost of American visas, although the law specifies that this amount may vary as directed by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In addition, the value will be updated depending on the country’s inflation rates.
The new cost for the Visa Integrity Fee.The cost of this document applies to non-immigrant visa categoriesincluding foreign tourists, business travelers and students.
This new rate is added to the official $185. However, The 250 dollars will only have to be paid once the visa has been processed. This way, if the visa is rejected, applicants will not have to pay the tax.
Furthermore, although it is not yet confirmed, This new cost is expected to be refundable for those who comply with the restrictions of your visa after having finished the trip.
The Visa Integrity Fee costs $250. Photo: Shutterstock.
Which countries are exempt from paying the Visa Integrity Fee
The application of the Visa Integrity Fee will not be universal. Citizens of the 42 countries integrated into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) will not have to pay this fee. The countries that are currently within the program are:
Germany, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, South Korea, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, United Kingdom, San Marino, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan.
The citizens of these countries can enter the United States for up to 90 days with an ESTA electronic authorization instead of a traditional visa.
