Rate of US $ 250, called Visa Integrity Fee, must be applied to all non -imigrant visas; Specialist lawyer warns of impact on the financial planning of tourists, students and workers
From October 1, 2025, a date that marks the beginning of the new fiscal year, Visa Integrity Fee, a new fee of $ 250 (R $ 1,300, in the current quotation) to be charged from non-immigrant visa applicants. The measure, if officialized, can directly impact tourists, students and Brazilian professionals who want to travel to the country.
Murtaz Navsariwala, an immigration lawyer for the United States, evaluates that Visa Integrity Fee is part of a migratory policy hardening package and seeks to discourage violations such as permanence beyond the authorized deadline. ”The new $ 250 rate will be applied to most non-imigrante visas-including categories such as Tourism (B-2), Business (F-1), F-1 (J-1), temporary work (H-1B, L-1, among others) and their dependents. However, it does not apply to the US through Visa Waiver Program (VWP), as is the case of citizens of visa exemption, nor some diplomatic and official categories, ”explains the lawyer.
In theory, the amount may be reimbursed to the applicant, provided that he fully meets the terms of the visa, which includes leaving within the expected period or adjusting his status legally, adds Navsariwala.
According to the lawyer, who works in the international office Murtaz Law, although the legislation establishing the fee has already been approved, there is no definitive regulation on how the collection will be made, nor will there be a period of transition.
For this reason, any deadlines or implementation can not be ruled out. However, the most prudent is that visa applicants prepare, assuming that the rate will be effectively required from October 1st.
“Those who want to travel to the United States still in 2025 should plan to start the visa request process as soon as possible. Although the new $ 250 fee is expected to take effect in October, the form is detailed, and the date considered for the application of the collection will most likely the date of payment of the consular fee, not the date of shipping the DS-160. Avoid additional costs and ensure greater predictability, ”explains Navsariwala.
Travel purpose
In case of those who want to study the financial impact of Visa Integrity Fee should be considered since the beginning of planning. A F-1 student, for example, already needs to pay the consular fee (MRV) and the SeVis fee.
With the addition of Visa Integrity Fee, the cost of the process can exceed $ 780 ($ 4.2 thousand) per person, says the lawyer. For applicants traveling with dependents, this value multiplies proportionally.
“Currently, the legislation establishing the Visa Integrity Fee does not provide exemptions based on age, economic or social condition. The rate should be applied to all applicants of non -imigrant visas, except for express exceptions, such as citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, of which Brazil is not part. Financial planning by all applicants ”, reinforces Navsariwala.
Regardless of the purpose of the trip, whether for the Murtaz Law office expert considers it essential that the applicant understands the conditions of the visa, the stay deadlines and the legal obligations associated with his stay in the United States.
“Failure to comply with these rules can result not only in the loss of paid amount, but also in future restrictions on entry in the country,” concludes the lawyer.
