The U.S. has introduced a new $250 “visa integrity fee” under the Trump administration’s recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This fee applies to nonimmigrant visa holders and is aimed at funding visa enforcement and border security measures.
While Canadian citizens can generally visit the U.S. without a visa and are exempt from this fee, Canadian permanent residents (PRs) do require a visa for entry and will have to pay.
The fee is non-waivable, though travellers may get a refund if they fully comply with U.S. visa rules (e.g., leaving the country within the visa’s validity period).
The implementation date for the fee is not yet confirmed. Critics argue this could deter visitors and harm U.S. tourism.
