WASHINGTON – If you are planning to visit United States, you need to know about “visa integrity fee” of Rs70,900 (USD 250), which Washington slapped on foreign travelers.
This means the total cost of a US visa will now skyrocket to 125,300 (USD 442), one of the most expensive visas in the world.
The move comes at a time when tourism to the US is already collapsing. In July alone, foreign arrivals dropped by 3.1%, marking the fifth straight month of decline in 2025.
And the bad news doesn’t stop there. International visitor spending in US is forecast to plunge below 47.8 trillion ($169 billion) this year, compared to 51.3 trillion ($181 billion) in 2024.
To make matters worse, Donald Trump administration also rolled out scheme demanding bonds of up to 4.25 million ($15,000) from some travelers, alongside stricter visa rules for students and journalists.
The impact will be felt hardest in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, India, and China, countries that had shown signs of tourism growth. But with Chinese arrivals still 53% below pre-pandemic levels and Indian student visas plunging 18%, the outlook is bleak.
Travel agents warn that other countries may hit back by charging reciprocal fees to Americans.
