Vietnamese people going to the US will spend more money if Mr. Trump imposes a $250 visa fee

The Nation recently reported that the US government is about to officially apply a new fee of $250 for most temporary visas, including tourist, business, student and labor visas. This fee, called the "Visa Integrity Fee", will be added to the existing visa application fee.

The Trump administration said the policy is part of the “Big and Beautiful” Super Law, which was signed into law on July 4. The goal of the law is to increase revenue from legal immigrants to offset the costs of controlling illegal immigration and strengthening border security.

The move has been met with strong reactions from the international community and the tourism industry. Many experts have called it a form of "human import tax", warning that it could scare away international tourists and cause them to turn to other destinations.

People entering the US at Dulles International Airport in Virginia

PHOTO: REUTERS

Tour to America will increase to 10 million VND/person

In Vietnam, many travel businesses are also following every step of US President Donald Trump because the new visa policy will certainly affect the sale of tours to the land of the free in Vietnam.

Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh - Marketing Director - Vietravel Tourism Company assessed that the new "Visa Integrity Fee" of 250 USD for temporary visas such as tourism, business, study abroad, and labor will certainly have a certain impact on the international tourism market, especially the group of Vietnamese tourists who want to go to the US. For Vietnamese tourists, this new fee will significantly increase the total cost of visa application and US tour costs.

Specifically, Vietravel's 7-9 day tour to the West Coast of the US (Los Angeles - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon - San Francisco) currently costs an average of 77 - 87 million VND; the 7-day tour to the East Coast (New York - Washington DC) costs about 78 million VND. The standard visa fee submitted to the Consulate is 160 USD, equivalent to 3,840 million VND. If the Visa Integrity Fee (250 USD) is applied, the visa fee can increase to 410 USD (10 million VND), accounting for about 10 - 15% of the total tour cost (for a tour of 3,500 USD). This can make some customers hesitate or reconsider their plans.

Mr. Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of Viet Tourism Joint Stock Company, is also worried that the additional visa fee of 250 USD is a large expense, significantly increasing the total cost of a visa to the US for Vietnamese tourists, especially groups of family tourists or students. If the US government applies this policy, travel companies will certainly have to adjust the price of package tours to the US, adding this fee to the tour input cost.

Currently, the package tours to the US at Du Lich Viet vary depending on the itinerary and service quality, with the most popular itinerary (8-11 days) ranging from 54.9 million to 99.9 million VND/person, including round-trip airfare, hotel, meals and sightseeing tickets. Premium tours (11-15 days or US/Canada tour) range from 109.9 million to 175.9 million VND/person with 5-star airlines and premium services.

"Thus, the price of US tours in late 2025 and early 2026 will increase by at least 6-7 million VND per guest, just for the new visa fee. For group guests, the increased cost may reduce competitiveness, especially compared to other destinations." - Mr. Vu commented.

The land of the stars and stripes is always the dream destination of Vietnamese travel enthusiasts.

PHOTO: VM

Visa interview harder?

Not too worried about the increased cost of visa fees for tours taking Vietnamese people to the US, Mr. Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour Company, said: In principle, any country with a policy to invite and attract tourists will stimulate and create demand for tourists. However, for the US market, the majority of Vietnamese tourists often travel for many purposes, not just for pure tourism. This is also the reason why this market always has its own tourist file from the Vietnamese market.

"Mr. Trump's new policies will really affect many pure tourists or students who want to study in the US during this period as well as in the near future. However, for those who really want to go to the US, visa fees are not a problem for them. Getting or not getting a visa is the problem they worry about the most. Currently, the US visa interview and approval schedule has returned to normal. However, the decision to pass or fail is still the "eternal story" of US visas, it is very difficult to comment" - Mr. Tran The Dung expressed his opinion.

Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh also predicted that for customers with stable finances and real needs, the impact from the new visa will not be too great. Vietravel will quickly update the latest changes from the Embassy and relevant agencies to accurately advise customers. The company also plans to have incentive programs, partial cost subsidies or special promotions for US tours in the initial phase of applying the policy, to support and maintain the attractiveness of this market. In the long term, Vietravel determines to continue monitoring visa policies of key markets to adjust products and services accordingly. In addition, Vietravel is also diversifying destinations to markets with less visa barriers such as Europe, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc., while promoting high-end and specialized products to meet the needs of customers with in-depth travel needs and different experiences.

According to Mr. Pham Anh Vu, the conditional US visa interview means that all Vietnamese visitors who want to go to the US (except those with valid visas) are required to have a face-to-face interview with a US consular officer. It is estimated that about 30-35% of applicants are rejected at the first interview, especially those applying for tourist, business, or family visit visas, for reasons such as difficulty proving ties to return to Vietnam, confusing statements during the interview, lack of confidence, or lack of financial evidence.

Therefore, Vietnam Tourism recommends that during the very short interview time (3 - 5 minutes), the interviewer must answer firmly, honestly, and match the information in the profile, avoiding answering in circles or showing anxiety. If you have a history of traveling to many developed countries and a good financial profile, the visa approval rate will be higher; however, there is still no absolute certainty due to the strict immigration control regulations of the US.

Vietnamese tourists who want to go on a tour to the US need to prepare their documents carefully, with transparent personal and financial information, and clear travel information. At the same time, they should register for a tour through a reputable company to receive support in collecting documents, practicing for interviews, increasing the visa approval rate and minimizing risks.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-viet-di-my-ton-them-mo-tien-neu-ong-trump-ap-phi-visa-250-usd-185250720121523157.htm