By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS applying for United States visas face significantly higher fees under sweeping new immigration legislation signed into law by US President Donald Trump on July 4.

The legislation, titled the One Big Beautiful Bill, introduces a mandatory $250 “visa integrity fee” on all temporary visa applications, including those for tourism, study, and business. This new fee will be added on top of existing visa processing charges, sharply increasing the overall cost for applicants.

Currently, a standard US tourist or student visa application (B‑1/B‑2, F, J, or M) costs $185. For students and exchange visitors, additional SEVIS fees of $350 or $220, respectively, also apply. Petition-based visas — such as work or cultural exchange programs (H, L, O, P, Q, R) — carry a $205 fee, while E‑class investor visas cost $315.

The K-visa for fiancés or spouses is priced at $265. The $250 integrity fee will be assessed in addition to these baseline charges, pushing the total cost for a simple tourist visa to $435, or more for other visa categories.

Applicants must pay the $250 visa integrity fee at the time of visa issuance. Refunds will only be granted under strict compliance, such as departing the US within five days of visa expiration.

Immigration advocates in the US have described the bill as one of the most financially restrictive immigration frameworks in modern history, warning that it effectively prices out vulnerable populations from seeking lawful entry.

The law further establishes a range of fee hikes across the US immigration system, including a $1,000 asylum application fee, a $550 work permit fee, and a $1,500 charge to adjust immigration status to lawful permanent residency.