By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SOME Bahamian students studying in the United States say they are grateful to have secured their visas before a new $250 “visa integrity fee” comes into effect in October, pushing the total cost of a US student visa close to $800.

The fee is part of the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law by US President Donald Trump on July 4. Beginning October 1 2025, all non-immigrant visa applicants must pay the $250 integrity fee after their visa is approved but before it is issued.

For Bahamian students applying for the F-1 visa, the new charge joins the existing US$185 visa application fee and the US$350 SEVIS I-901 fee, bringing the total to US$785.

Kristian Miller, 18, a recent Kingsway Academy graduate heading to Howard University this autumn, said he feels fortunate to have completed the process before the fee takes effect.

“Some of these students, they may have gotten scholarships, but that’s still something that they still have to pay for,” he said. “Some people who are [from] low-income houses, they probably can’t do that.”

He credited scholarships and family support for making his dream affordable, but acknowledged others may struggle.

“There are so many other people who are of bright minds and have so much potential, and just because this little fee is stopping them from reaching that potential, it’s very sad,” he said.

Tyronique Wilson, 18, a sophomore at Austin Peay University, said while the fee may not appear large to some, it could make a real difference depending on a student’s financial circumstances.

“I don’t think that it will discourage them. If anything, I feel like it would push everyone much harder to apply for more scholarships, even to save. I feel like it will make us more determined,” she said.

The US government has said the integrity fee will be refundable for most non-immigrant visa holders, including students, provided they comply with visa terms, such as leaving the country on time or adjusting status legally. However, details of how refunds will work have not yet been released.