From US fast-track fee to Japan visa fee hike: Visa changes for travellers from July 1

International travel and migration rules will change across four major destinations from July 1, affecting tourists, business visitors, transit passengers and employer-sponsored workers.

The United States will begin charging for faster visitor visa interviews, while Japan will sharply raise visa issuance fees. Vietnam is introducing a health declaration for people crossing its borders, and Australia will increase the minimum salary required for several sponsored-work visa categories.

Here is what applicants need to know.

US offers faster visa interviews for an additional $750

Applicants facing long waits for US business or tourist visa interviews will have a new paid option from July 1.

Under a six-month State Department pilot, eligible B-1 and B-2 applicants at participating embassies and consulates can pay an additional $750 (₹71,000 approx) to secure an interview slot within 10 business days, subject to availability.

The charge will be added to the standard $185 (₹17,500 approx) application fee, taking the combined cost to $935.

The premium payment covers only the scheduling of an earlier interview. Applicants will still undergo the same checks, eligibility assessment and possible administrative processing as everyone else. Paying the fee will not improve the likelihood of approval or accelerate the remaining stages of the application.

Only a limited number of appointments will be offered at selected diplomatic posts. Applicants must first complete the DS-160 form, pay the regular application fee and book a standard appointment before seeking a premium slot.

Those who cancel or fail to attend the accelerated appointment will lose the $750 payment.

The pilot will operate until December 31, after which the State Department will assess whether to continue the service.

Japan raises tourist and business visa fees fivefold

Japan will introduce its first major revision of visa issuance charges in decades for applications accepted from July 1.

The standard fee for a single-entry visa will rise from ¥3,000 to about ¥15,000, equivalent to roughly ₹8,850 at the conversion rate used in the announcement.

A multiple-entry visa will cost around ¥30,000, or approximately ₹17,700, compared with ¥6,000 at present.

The new charges will affect Indian tourists and business visitors because Indian passport holders generally require a visa to enter Japan. Travellers covered by a visa-waiver arrangement may not have to pay the issuance charge.

The applicable payment is generally collected in the local currency of the country where the Japanese embassy or consulate processes the application. Separate service or handling charges may also apply when applications are submitted through an authorised agency.

Japan’s foreign ministry has also clarified that the amount may vary according to nationality and purpose of travel. No issuance fee is charged when a visa is refused.

Vietnam introduces health declaration for border crossings

Vietnam will require travellers to complete a health declaration within seven days before entering, leaving or transiting through the country from July 1.

The requirement can cover tourists, business visitors, students, expatriates and passengers changing flights at Vietnamese airports.

Vietnam’s government has issued a bilingual declaration form in Vietnamese and English. The Ministry of Health may provide additional instructions depending on international disease outbreaks and the risk of infection entering the country.

The regulation therefore creates a continuing border-health mechanism rather than a measure tied to one specific disease.

Travellers should check the latest guidance from their airline and Vietnamese authorities before departure, particularly for details about how the declaration must be submitted.

Australia raises sponsored-worker salary thresholds

Australia’s July 1 changes are aimed at skilled migrants rather than short-term tourists.

The Core Skills Income Threshold will increase from AUD 76,515 to AUD 79,499 (₹49,85,917 to ₹51,80,591). The revised level will apply to new nominations under relevant employer-sponsored programmes, including the Core Skills stream of the Skills in Demand subclass 482 visa.

The Specialist Skills Income Threshold will rise from AUD 141,210 to AUD 146,717 (₹92.07 Lakhs to ₹95.66 Lakhs).

The minimum earnings benchmark for relevant subclass 186 permanent employer-nomination pathways will also align with the revised Core Skills threshold. Some regional sponsored nominations will be covered as well.

For nominations submitted from July 1, the proposed salary must meet either the new threshold or the applicable annual market salary rate, whichever is higher.

The amounts refer to base earnings and do not include non-cash benefits.

Existing visa holders and nominations lodged before July 1 will generally remain subject to the threshold in force when their applications were filed, even when a final decision is issued later.

What travellers should check before applying

The four sets of changes affect different stages of international travel.

Applicants should check the filing date carefully because the new fees and requirements are generally triggered by applications or nominations submitted on or after July 1.