U.S. Says Prove Your Integrity To Enter— That’ll Be $250

Did you hear?

The U.S. is adding a $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” per person. Like, actually. Not a joke. If you’re applying for a U.S. visa and your passport doesn’t say Australia or Japan or Switzerland, you’re paying this extra charge.

And yeah, if you’re Nepali, of course you’re on the list.

It doesn’t matter if you’re coming to visit your kids, attend a graduation, or just want to bring your parents over for Dashain, this new fee applies to pretty much every visa that isn’t immigrant or diplomatic. Tourist, student, work, dependent; all of it. $250, on top of what you’re already paying.

And they’re calling it a "Visa Integrity Fee." As if... what? You're more honest if you pay more?

This is not a deposit either. It’s not for faster processing. It’s not refundable unless you follow every single rule perfectly and hope someone, somewhere, figures out how to process refunds someday. 

Honestly, it just feels like one more way to make it harder, and more expensive, for people like us to do things that should be simple. Like inviting your mom for your graduation. Or having your dad meet his grandchild for the first time.

Anyway, that’s what this newsletter is about. We’re going to unpack what this so-called Integrity Fee actually is, how it works, who it hits the hardest, and why it’s kind of ridiculous when you really think about it. So whether you’re planning to bring your family over or just trying to keep up with U.S. visa chaos, stay with us.

What Is the Visa Integrity Fee?

As of July 4, the U.S. government has announced a new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” for most non-immigrant visa categories.

That includes:

• Tourist (B1/B2)

• Student (F1/F2)

• Exchange Visitors (J1/J2)

• Temporary workers (H-1B, H-4, L, O, P, R...)

• Even your poor retired uncle who just wants to attend your wedding in Jersey.

If you're from a non-Visa Waiver country, (and yes, Nepal is very much on that list) you're in.

This $250 is charged at the time of visa issuance, not application. So if you don’t get the visa, you won’t pay. Small mercy. But if you do, you’ll pay this fee on top of the regular visa application fee (which, for B1/B2 visas, is already $185).

So, How Much Are We Paying Now?

Let’s do some quick napkin math.

Family of 4 visiting for vacation? $1000 in Integrity Fees alone 😵

Not to mention document courier charges, biometrics appointments, medical tests if you’re applying for longer-term stays, and the emotional trauma of dealing with the U.S. consulate queue in Maharajgunj.

Refund? What Refund?

Now here’s where things get extra “fun.”

The U.S. says the $250 fee might be refundable, but only after your visa expires, and only if you meet all of the following:

• You didn’t overstay (not more than 5 days).

• You didn’t work illegally.

• You left the U.S. on time or adjusted your status legally.

• You apply for a refund through a process that doesn't exist yet.

You read that right. As of now, no actual refund mechanism has been announced. No form. No deadline. No portal.

In short: if you’re law-abiding, you can theoretically get your money back someday. Realistically? Probably not.

A Graduation Story Gone Slightly More Expensive

Let’s say you’re in Texas, finishing your Master’s. Your mom’s already nervous about flying for the first time. Your dad’s arguing about which coat to wear for American winter in November.

They apply for the B1/B2 visa. Between the two of them, here’s what you’re paying:

• Visa Application Fee: $370

• Visa Integrity Fee: $500

• VFS processing: $30+

• Passport courier: $15

• Total: $915+

That’s just to get them to the airport. Add flights, insurance, domestic travel, shopping at Ross Dress for Less, and you’re looking at an international visit that rivals some Nepali weddings in cost.

Why This Fee, Anyway?

The U.S. government says it wants to:

• “Ensure compliance with visa rules”

• Discourage overstays

• Fund border enforcement

But critics call it what it really is: a tourist tax for non-Western countries.

If you’re from Germany, Japan, Australia, you walk in through the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) with just a $21 fee. But if you’re from Nepal, Bangladesh, or Nigeria? Please pay $435 and wait six weeks for an interview slot.

Even the U.S. Travel Association, called the Integrity Fee “a self-inflicted wound.”

So Why Should Nepalis Care?

Because we’re the ones who pay.

• Students: Already pay $500+ for SEVIS and visa application. This adds $250 more.

• Graduates: Want to bring family for convocation? Add this fee.

• Diaspora professionals: Need to renew H-1B or invite parents for a wedding? Add this fee.

• Retirees or tourists: Planning a family holiday? Guess what? you’re part of the integrity audit now.

It’s not just money. It’s the signal: “You’re welcome, but we’ll need a little integrity deposit first.”

But Wait, It Gets Weirder

If you change your visa within the U.S., like switching from F-1 (student visa) to H-1B (working visa) without leaving the country, you don’t pay this fee.

But if you fly home to Kathmandu and go to the U.S. Embassy to get your new visa stamped? That’ll be $250 extra, thank you very much.

So now, travel plans aren’t just emotional or logistical decisions, they’re financial traps.

Also, for work visas like H‑1B, employers usually cover the main visa costs. But with this new $250 fee, there’s no rule saying they have to pay it.

So whether you eat the cost or your company does, that’s entirely up to them.

If they cover it, great.

If not? Well, congrats on your job, and your new invoice.

Tips for the Wise Nepali Traveler

If you're navigating this new landscape, here’s how to stay sane:

1. Budget smart: Add $250 to every U.S. visa plan. No surprises.
   

2. Don’t count on refunds: Treat the fee as a donation to the Department of Homeland Security.
   

3. Renew inside the U.S. if you can: Avoid consular processing unless absolutely necessary.
   

4. If you’re inviting family: Help them prepare early. This is also about finances and not just about forms.
   

5. Watch for updates: The refund process might become real someday. Subscribe to State Department updates; or better yet, follow Nepali Dias and we’ll do it for you. 

The Bigger Picture

This fee may not be life-ruining for most people in the diaspora. But it does reinforce an uncomfortable truth: mobility isn’t equal. Some passports get welcomed with open arms. Others get searched, questioned, and charged for integrity.

And while the U.S. will still see thousands of Nepali students, workers, and families walk through its gates each year, the cost of crossing those gates just went up.

Final Thoughts

If you're planning a trip, a graduation invite, or just hoping to get your parents to see snow for the first time, this is the latest fee you need to know about.

It won’t break most people. But it might make a few postpone plans, cancel trips, or think twice about how “welcoming” the land of the free really is.

And if nothing else, it proves that even when you follow all the rules, someone somewhere still thinks you should pay a little extra. Just to prove your integrity.

At least $250 worth of it.

🗨️ Know someone planning to bring their parents to the U.S.? Forward this to them!

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