The United States has introduced a new $250 "visa integrity fee" (Rs 22,020) for travellers from countries outside the visa waiver programme, effective October 1. The move has sparked concerns across the travel and education sectors, as international arrivals continue to decline amid stricter immigration measures.
Once implemented, the total cost of a US visa will rise to $442 (Rs 38,958), which industry groups say will rank among the highest visa fees in the world. Countries likely to be most affected include India, China, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina-nations that send a significant number of students and professionals to the US.
According to US government data, international arrivals fell by 3.1% in July, dropping to 19.2 million visitors, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline this year.
"Any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount," Gabe Rizzi, President of Altour, a global travel management company, told Reuters. "As the summer ends, this will become a more pressing issue, and we'll have to factor the fees into travel budgets and documentation."
Why Students May Rethink US
While the fee may appear to be a routine bureaucratic step, experts warn of broader implications. For many international students, already burdened with high tuition fees and living costs, the new charge makes the US seem like a less welcoming destination.
Countries like Canada, Australia, and Germany are actively streamlining their visa and immigration systems to attract global talent. Analysts say the US, by contrast, risks sending a message of "transactional education"-where students feel like paying customers rather than valued contributors.
The very wording of the "integrity fee" is also being questioned. Linking international applicants with the idea of integrity, experts argue, subtly conveys mistrust. This could further damage the US's reputation among young learners who are choosing where to pursue higher education.
Impact On Universities And Research
International students are a critical part of America's academic and research ecosystem. They contribute as graduate assistants, researchers, and teaching fellows, particularly in STEM fields. A decline in student inflows, experts caution, may slow down innovation, reduce diversity in classrooms, and weaken the global competitiveness of US universities.
"The Visa Integrity Fee is less about revenue than perception. If the US chooses controls over building trust in the global talent competition, where perception is often as important as policy, then we risk giving up a position in positions that are often created and tightly controlled by globalisation," said Ritika Gupta, CEO and Counsellor at AAera Consultants.
