If you are planning to travel to the United States in the next few years, it may be time to move up that visa process. The reason? A new fee could significantly raise the cost of this document starting in 2026.
This all stems from the new tax law promoted by President Donald Trump, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was recently approved and contemplates an additional fee called the “Visa Integrity Fee”. This measure would affect those applying for non-immigrant visas, including the most common ones such as B1/B2 for tourism or business.
How much will the visa cost now?
Currently, the B1/B2 U.S. visa process costs $185. However, with the new integrity fee, which proposes an additional charge of $250, the total cost of the process would rise to $435. This is more than double the current cost.
If translated into Mexican pesos, using the current exchange rate, the new cost would exceed 8,100 pesos and could reach up to 8,700 pesos, depending on the value of the dollar at the time of the procedure.
When would this new fee start to be applied?
Although the law has already been approved and authorizes this charge as of fiscal year 2025 (which in the U.S. runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025), the actual charge will not begin immediately. According to official sources and specialized media, the fee will begin to be charged as of January 1, 2026, once the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issues the necessary rules to implement it.
To whom would it apply?
This fee would affect all foreigners applying for a nonimmigrant visa, i.e., not only those applying for tourism or business, but also students (F-1, F-2), cultural exchange participants (J-1, J-2) and specialized workers (H-1B, H-4), among others.
Why this new fee?
The US government justifies this increase as part of a strategy to strengthen the “integrity” of the immigration system. However, it is also projected as a way to increase government revenues just before high-impact international events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, of which the U.S. will be one of the hosts. The U.S. will be one of the main hosts.
In addition, the law provides that the amount of this fee may be adjusted each year based on inflation, which could cause it to continue to increase in subsequent years.
In summary:
- The B1/B2 visa would increase from USD 185 to USD 435 starting in 2026.
- This is equivalent to an increase of more than 8 thousand Mexican pesos.
- The fee would apply to all non-immigrant visas.
- Although authorized since fiscal year 2025, the charge will begin in January 2026.
- The fee may be adjusted annually for inflation.
So if you are planning to visit the U.S. soon, it may be time to get a head start on your process and save some money before the new fee goes into effect.