$250 Fee Adds Burden for Non-Immigrant Visa Applicants
Ghanaians and other non-immigrant visa applicants must pay a new $250 “visa integrity fee” under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, effective within the U.S. fiscal year (October 1, 2024–September 30, 2025). The fee, non-waivable and added to existing costs like the $24 Form I-94 fee, applies to tourists, students, and workers from non-Visa Waiver Program countries like Ghana.
The fee, aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement, may be refunded if visa holders comply with terms, such as departing within five days of visa expiration or securing lawful permanent resident status. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is coordinating implementation, with collection likely starting January 1, 2026, and annual inflation adjustments. Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on impacts to U.S. Embassy services in Accra.
In 2024, the U.S. issued nearly 11 million non-immigrant visas, many to Africans, with Ghanaian applicants facing added costs alongside medical exams and airfare. The fee could deter travel, especially with ESTA fees for visa-waiver countries rising to $40. The U.S. Travel Association criticized the fee as a “self-imposed tariff,” potentially impacting events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The policy, part of Trump’s immigration crackdown, may strain Ghana-U.S. travel, with no clear reimbursement process yet, per Forbes. Travelers are advised to check U.S. Embassy updates for guidance.