Planning to study, work, or travel to the US in 2025 is set to become significantly more expensive due to major changes in immigration rules. Visa-related costs have surged, including a one-time $100,000 fee for H-1B work petitions and several additional charges for international visitors.
The 2025 US immigration fee hike affects nearly all visa categories — from students and skilled professionals to tourists and green card applicants. The most notable change is the $100,000 H-1B petition fee, now mandatory for employers hiring foreign skilled workers under the H-1B program. This one-time fee applies only to new applicants, not renewals.
A new Visa Integrity Fee has also been introduced, applicable to all non-immigrant visas, including F-1 and J-1 student visas, B-1/B-2 tourist visas, and work-related categories. The fee was enacted under President Donald Trump’s immigration reform bill passed in July.
Work authorization costs have risen as well. The Employment Authorization Document (EAD) application fee is now $470 online and $520 for paper filings. Immigrants under asylum, TPS, or parole status, previously exempt, must now pay the full fee.
International travelers face additional charges at the border, including fees for CBP Form I-94, and increases for systems like ESTA and EVUS. The Visa Interview Waiver (Dropbox) has also been tightened: most applicants under 14 or over 79 must now attend in-person interviews, and H-1B and F-1 visa holders with recently expired visas are no longer eligible for the waiver starting September 2025.
Lastly, visa interviews must now be scheduled within the applicant’s consular district, reducing the flexibility previously available. These sweeping changes are set to make US study, work, and travel significantly more costly and procedural in 2025.
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