July 18, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Canadian permanent residents planning to travel to the United States on a non-immigrant visa — such as for tourism, business, or study — will soon be required to pay a new $250 fee. This new charge is being introduced under U.S. legislation known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a law introduced during the Trump administration aimed at strengthening border security.
The fee, officially called the “Visa Integrity Fee,” will apply on top of all existing visa application charges. The funds collected will be used to support immigration enforcement and to enhance screening and security operations at the U.S. border.
While Canadian citizens will generally not be required to pay this fee, permanent residents of Canada — those who hold a PR card but are not Canadian citizens — will be. That means if you are a permanent resident and need to apply for a U.S. visitor visa, student visa, or any other non-immigrant visa, you’ll have to pay this additional fee.
This fee is non-refundable, but in some cases, it may be reimbursed. For example, if a traveler leaves the U.S. within five days of their visa expiring or maintains lawful status — such as by extending their visa or obtaining a green card — they may be eligible to get their money back. In that sense, the fee acts like a security deposit, rewarding those who follow immigration rules.
Although the bill introducing this fee has already been signed into law, no specific start date has been announced yet.
Experts in tourism and immigration have expressed concern that this new fee may discourage some Canadian permanent residents from traveling to the U.S. Rather than simplifying cross-border travel, they say fees like this can act as a deterrent and create unnecessary financial barriers.
If you’re a Canadian permanent resident planning a trip to the United States, it’s important to stay updated on when this new rule takes effect and how it could impact your visa application.
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