The U.S. Department of State has implemented its first across-the-board non-immigrant visa (NIV) fee hike in more than a decade, as reported by regional outlet Our Today on October 25, 2025. Visitor (B-1/B-2) and student/exchange (F, J, M) visa application fees rose from US$160 to US$185, while petition-based categories such as H, L, O and P increased from US$190 to US$205. Treaty-trader and treaty-investor (E) visas now cost US$315, up from US$205.
The Final Rule, effective May 30 but only now rippling through consular appointment systems globally, results from the State Department’s Activity-Based Costing study, which showed processing expenses outstripping revenues. The Bureau of Consular Affairs projects an additional US$340 million annually—funds it says will shore up staffing at high-volume posts like Mumbai and Manila, where wait times still exceed 150 days for business travelers.
For corporate mobility budgets, the increases are modest compared with the headline-grabbing H-1B fee but still meaningful at scale. A multinational rotating 500 engineers on B-1 visas each year will pay US$12,500 more, exclusive of the new US$250 Visa Integrity Fee slated for October 1. Companies should revisit cost-sharing policies with assignees and ensure travel teams update reimbursement tables.
The higher fees also apply to Border Crossing Cards for Mexican nationals aged 15 and over, a point of concern for U.S. agribusinesses that depend on seasonal labor. Advocacy groups worry that combined with rising airfare and housing costs, the increases could depress visitor flows ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Employers should monitor embassy websites for implementation quirks; some posts require applicants who scheduled under the old fee to pay the difference at interview, while others honor the original MRV receipt.
The Final Rule, effective May 30 but only now rippling through consular appointment systems globally, results from the State Department’s Activity-Based Costing study, which showed processing expenses outstripping revenues. The Bureau of Consular Affairs projects an additional US$340 million annually—funds it says will shore up staffing at high-volume posts like Mumbai and Manila, where wait times still exceed 150 days for business travelers.
For corporate mobility budgets, the increases are modest compared with the headline-grabbing H-1B fee but still meaningful at scale. A multinational rotating 500 engineers on B-1 visas each year will pay US$12,500 more, exclusive of the new US$250 Visa Integrity Fee slated for October 1. Companies should revisit cost-sharing policies with assignees and ensure travel teams update reimbursement tables.
The higher fees also apply to Border Crossing Cards for Mexican nationals aged 15 and over, a point of concern for U.S. agribusinesses that depend on seasonal labor. Advocacy groups worry that combined with rising airfare and housing costs, the increases could depress visitor flows ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Employers should monitor embassy websites for implementation quirks; some posts require applicants who scheduled under the old fee to pay the difference at interview, while others honor the original MRV receipt.
