July 21,2025
RED FM News Desk
Some travelers to the United States, including from Canada, will soon have to pay a new “visa integrity fee” of US$250, though an immigration lawyer says most Canadian citizens won’t be affected.
“This won’t impact Canadian citizens much,” said Rosanna Berardi, managing partner at Berardi Immigration Law in Buffalo, N.Y., in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. “They can still enter the U.S. as usual with just their passport. About 99 per cent of Canadian citizens are visa-exempt, so they won’t have to pay this fee — unless they are investors or engaged to U.S. citizens.”
However, Canadian permanent residents who are not U.S. citizens or not from Visa Waiver Program countries will be subject to the fee when entering the U.S. by land or air, Berardi added. According to the U.S. government, travelers with a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Program can stay for up to 90 days for tourism or business without a visa.
This new fee is part of a U.S. spending bill signed into law on July 4, called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, passed under the Trump administration. The law doesn’t specify exactly when the fee will come into effect.
The $250 fee applies to the current fiscal year and may increase annually with inflation. The law states it cannot be waived or reduced.
Under certain conditions, travelers may be reimbursed for the fee after their non-immigrant visa expires, especially if they complied with all visa terms, such as not taking unauthorized employment.
When asked for further details, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said via email that the law “provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation’s immigration system,” and that the fee will require cross-agency coordination before being implemented.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson added that the fee is meant to strengthen immigration enforcement, deter visa overstays, and fund border security. More details will be posted at travel.state.gov once available.
Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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