There are several recent changes about visas to the United States, including a new visa integrity fee that will be imposed on all foreign nationals needing nonimmigrant visas, limitations on validity periods, and limitations on visa interview waiver interviews.
More information about each of these developments is summarized below:
New Visa Integrity Fee
H.R.1 – the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was signed into law on July 4, 2025, establishes a new visa integrity fee of $250 for all foreign nationals issued a nonimmigrant visa. The amount may be adjusted annually, and there is no fee waiver.
According to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the law implementing the new fee is effective as of the date it was signed, July 4, 2025, although time will be needed to actually implement the necessary collection mechanisms. As of today, there is currently no way to pay the visa integrity fee, and it is not yet mentioned on the U.S. Department of State’s visa fee page for visa services.
The fee applies across all nonimmigrant visa categories, such as F, B, J, H, L, O, and will be payable by visa applicants when the visa is approved. Because the fee only applies to visas, travelers to the United States who are exempt from the visa requirement will not need to pay the fee (these include travelers under the Visa Waiver Program and Canadian citizens seeking admission in a type of nonimmigrant classification that does not require a visa such as B, H or L).
Unlike other fees, the Visa Integrity Fee has a unique aspect that allows for reimbursement of the fee for individuals who comply with the conditions of the visa. This is explained in more detail in the text of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in section 100007, accessible here.
Details about the Visa Integrity fee are limited with questions remaining on implementation.
Limitations on Visa Validity
In early July 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) reduced the validity period of visas to three months and only a single entry for several different types of visa categories, including B, F, H, J, and O, for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and certain countries in Africa and Asia. Many different countries are also impacted in some way, so it is important to check the DOS reciprocity schedule here for the latest information for a particular country.
What Countries are Impacted and When?
Over 50 different countries are impacted by the DOS’s updated reciprocity schedule, as noted. Some of these countries include the following:
- China (e.g., O, P, and Q-1 visas limited to 3 months, single entry)
- Cote D’Ivoire
- Ethiopia
- The Gambia
- Haiti
- Nigeria
- Venezuela
Again, the DOS reciprocity table has most up-to-date information on affected countries. We note, too, that some of these countries are already on a full or partial travel ban, such as Haiti.
The DOS visa limitations are in effect now, which means that foreign nationals issued new visas after the new limitations went into effect early July will reflect the limitations in the reciprocity table. It should not impact existing visas previously issued before the early July 2025 change.
In order to understand more about the DOS’s visa limitations and what this means, it is helpful to provide some information about the terminology and what employers should keep in mind.
What is a visa?
The DOS explains that a “visa” gives a foreign national permission to travel to a U.S. Port of Entry to apply for admission (entry) to the United States with U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP). It is CBP that decides whether to actually admit (allow) a foreign national abroad into the United States, and for how long.
While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the United States, it does generally indicate a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad has determined eligibility to seek entry for that purpose. A picture of a U.S. visa from the DOS’s website is here. Sometimes this is informally referred to as a “visa stamp”, “visa foil”, or “passport visa”.
As a final note, it is important to understand that a visa is not the same thing as immigration “status” in the United States (a foreign national’s authorized period of stay in the country).
Therefore, the limitation of a visa does not necessarily impact immigration status in the United States. However, the terms and corresponding documentation can be confusing with significant consequences if there are misunderstandings or confusion, so it is important to consult with immigration counsel for questions on immigration status or visa validity.
What Should Employers Keep in Mind?
It is important for employer sponsors to know of any international travel in advance, so that any limitations may be reviewed and vetted ahead of time to avoid delays or issues later on.
Additional information can also be found on the NAFSA website here.
Limitations on Visa Interview Waiver Eligibility
The U.S. Department of State also recently limited the categories of visa applicants eligible for a waiver of the visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.
More specifically, the DOS announced that effective September 2, 2025, all nonimmigrant visa applicants – including children under 14 and adults over 79 – will generally require in-person visa interviews with the limited exception of the following visa applicants:
- Applicants classifiable under the visa symbols A-1, A-2, C-3 (except attendants, servants, or personal employees of accredited officials), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-6, or TECRO E-1;
- Applicants for diplomatic- or official-type visas; and,
- Applicants renewing a full validity B-1, B-2, B1/B2 visa or a Border Crossing Card/Foil (for Mexican nationals) within 12 months of the prior visa’s expiration, and who were at least 18 years old at the time of the prior visa’s issuance (among other listed criteria).
This last bullet point above is a departure from the prior DOS announcement on February 18, 2025, that allowed visa interview waivers for nonimmigrant visa applicants who previously held a visa in the same category that expired less than 12 months prior to the new application. This included, for example, H-1B, L-1, and O-1 visa applicants. Effective September 2, 2025, visa applicants in these categories generally must appear for their visa interviews in-person.
Some additional information can also be found here.
The immigration group with Nilan Johnson Lewis PA will continue to monitor these and other immigration developments.
