The projected fee is at least $250 for the U.S. fiscal year 2025 – from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. However, the Secretary of Homeland Security has the discretion to set a higher fee.
The "visa guarantee fee" applies to all travelers requiring a non-immigrant visa, including tourists , business travelers, and international students. Travelers pay the fee when their visa is granted, so those whose visas are denied do not have to pay.
For example, an H-1B worker who paid a $205 filing fee may now have to pay a total of $455 when this fee is applied. In addition, this fee must be paid along with the "Form I-94 fee"—a form used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to record the entry and exit information of nonimmigrant visitors. Previously, the One Big Beautiful Bill increased the "Form I-94 fee" from $6 to $24.
To be eligible for a refund, visa holders must comply with the visa conditions, including "not working illegally" and not overstaying their visa by more than 5 days. Refunds will be processed after the tourist visa expires, as per regulations.
Steven A. Brown, a member of the immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC in Houston, said the government needs a regulation or at least a media announcement regarding the implementation and collection of the fee. He also advised clients to consider the fee non-refundable.
"If you get a refund, that's great, but it's often difficult to get money back from the government ," he said, suggesting customers should view the fee as a "reward" if they get a refund rather than expecting it to be mandatory.
Brown said that visa guarantee fees are likely to affect holders of B visas – the group of leisure and business travelers, and international students – more than other types of travelers.
The U.S. Travel Association is also wondering how tourists will pay this fee.
"The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to collect fees, but that agency does not own the process for applying for, issuing, or renewing visas," a spokesperson for the association questioned.
Because many visas are valid for several years, the U.S. Congressional Budget Office said it anticipates "very few people will request refunds." A representative from the agency added that the State Department will need several years to implement the refund process. Based on that, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting this provision will increase revenue and reduce the budget deficit by $28.9 billion between 2025 and 2034.
"President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill provides the policies and resources needed to restore integrity to the nation's immigration system," a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNBC.
Data shows that most visa holders comply with visa conditions. In fiscal years from 2016 to 2022, approximately 1%–2% of nonimmigrant visitors overstayed their visas in the U.S., according to the Congressional Research Service.
However, an estimated 42% of the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. entered legally but overstayed their visas, data shows. This indicates that while not common, visa overstaying still has a significant impact on illegal immigration.
Source: https://baohatinh.vn/khach-den-my-du-lich-phai-tra-them-250-usd-post292257.html
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