Visiting the United States is about to become more expensive for African travelers, following a new policy that introduces a hefty $250 “visa integrity fee” for most non-immigrant visa applicants.
This fee is part of the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted by US lawmakers on July 4, 2025, and expected to take effect later this year.
According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, the new fee will apply to any foreign national issued a non-immigrant visa, particularly those from African countries, whether they are students, tourists, temporary workers, or business visitors.
The $250 “visa integrity fee” is non-waivable and non-reducible and will be charged in addition to existing visa-related fees, including the machine-readable visa (MRV) application fee, anti-fraud fees, and reciprocity fees.
This means a single visa application for a Nigerian, Ghanaian, or Kenyan citizen could now cost as much as $500, excluding documentation and travel expenses.
African students applying for F-1 and F-2 visas, exchange visitors on J-1 and J-2 visas, and professionals applying for H1-B and H-4 temporary work visas will all be subject to the new levy. Likewise, African tourists visiting family or attending events in the U.S. will bear the increased cost.
Notably, citizens from 42 countries, mostly in Europe, along with Canada, Bermuda, and a few Asian and Gulf nations, are exempt under the US Visa Waiver Program. These travelers won’t be affected if their stay is under 90 days.
In contrast, African nations are entirely excluded from the program, perpetuating the continent’s disadvantage in terms of global access and mobility.
Although the US government claims the funds from the fee will go into the Treasury’s general fund, there is no indication that the money will be reinvested in improving consular services or reducing processing delays, a longstanding challenge for African applicants.
SP/MA
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