India, Mexico among countries hit by $250 visa fee as US tightens entry rules again

The United States has announced a new $250 “visa integrity fee” for travellers from non-visa waiver countries, raising the total visa cost to $442. The fee will take effect on October 1, 2025.

Overseas travel to the US fell 3.1% in July 2025 compared to the same month last year, with only 19.2 million visitors arriving. This marks the fifth consecutive monthly decline, defying earlier hopes that international arrivals would finally surpass pre-pandemic levels of 79.4 million.

The new $250 fee will apply to applicants from countries outside the US visa waiver program, including Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China. With this addition, the total visa cost will rise to $442 — among the highest visitor visa fees globally, according to the US Travel Association.

The hike is expected to impact Central and South American nations most — regions that have shown rare growth this year. Travel from Mexico jumped nearly 14% by May 2025, Argentina rose 20%, and Brazil 4.6%. Central America and South America posted modest gains of 3% and 0.7% respectively, while arrivals from Western Europe declined 2.3%.

The Trump administration has introduced a series of stricter visa measures in recent months, aimed at tightening US entry rules. In August, it proposed a pilot program that could require certain tourist and business visa applicants to pay bonds of up to $15,000.

Just days later, new draft regulations were unveiled to shorten visa durations for international students, cultural exchange visitors, and journalists. These steps follow broader efforts by the administration to limit immigration, reduce foreign aid, and impose new tariffs — policies that collectively signal a more restrictive approach to cross-border movement.