On November 8, 2025 the Financial Express published details of sweeping fee hikes that took effect this week under the immigration sections of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Two changes are sending shock waves through corporate mobility budgets.
First, every non-immigrant visa issued at a U.S. consulate now carries a US$250 “Visa Integrity Fee” that is payable in addition to the standard Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee. The surcharge applies to business travelers (B-1/B-2), students (F-1/J-1), specialists (L-1, E-3, TN) and dependents alike. Although the legislation allows limited diplomatic and humanitarian waivers, most routine applicants must pay.
![New ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ and $100,000 H-1B petition surcharge take effect]()
Second—and far more costly for employers—an unprecedented US$100,000 filing fee is now due for each new H-1B petition (initial petitions only; extensions are exempt). The fee is remitted to USCIS at the time of filing and is non-refundable if the case is denied. While Congress framed the measure as an incentive for companies to “hire American,” critics say it will price smaller firms and start-ups out of the H-1B program altogether.
Global staffing managers are already recalculating cost projections. A mid-size IT services company that typically sponsors 200 new H-1Bs annually faces an additional US$20 million in direct government costs next cap season—exclusive of attorney fees, compliance overhead and relocation expenses. Some employers are exploring alternative classifications (E-3 for Australians, TN for Canadians/Mexicans) or near-shore assignments in Canada and Mexico to sidestep the surcharge.
Mobility professionals should update any offer letters that reference “standard government filing fees,” revisit cost-sharing arrangements with clients, and ensure that Finance departments accrue for the new surcharges in 2026 budgets. Travelers should also budget extra time at consulate cashier windows; early reports indicate longer queues as applicants grapple with the additional payment step.
First, every non-immigrant visa issued at a U.S. consulate now carries a US$250 “Visa Integrity Fee” that is payable in addition to the standard Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee. The surcharge applies to business travelers (B-1/B-2), students (F-1/J-1), specialists (L-1, E-3, TN) and dependents alike. Although the legislation allows limited diplomatic and humanitarian waivers, most routine applicants must pay.
Second—and far more costly for employers—an unprecedented US$100,000 filing fee is now due for each new H-1B petition (initial petitions only; extensions are exempt). The fee is remitted to USCIS at the time of filing and is non-refundable if the case is denied. While Congress framed the measure as an incentive for companies to “hire American,” critics say it will price smaller firms and start-ups out of the H-1B program altogether.
Global staffing managers are already recalculating cost projections. A mid-size IT services company that typically sponsors 200 new H-1Bs annually faces an additional US$20 million in direct government costs next cap season—exclusive of attorney fees, compliance overhead and relocation expenses. Some employers are exploring alternative classifications (E-3 for Australians, TN for Canadians/Mexicans) or near-shore assignments in Canada and Mexico to sidestep the surcharge.
Mobility professionals should update any offer letters that reference “standard government filing fees,” revisit cost-sharing arrangements with clients, and ensure that Finance departments accrue for the new surcharges in 2026 budgets. Travelers should also budget extra time at consulate cashier windows; early reports indicate longer queues as applicants grapple with the additional payment step.
