Kenyans planning to travel to the United States in the coming weeks may need to dig deeper into their pockets following the introduction of a new visa charge by the Donald Trump administration.
This follows the U.S government's announcement of plans to start applying a new 'visa integrity fee' that will affect all non-immigrant visa applicants.
According to a report on Forbes, the additional charge, set at a minimum of $250 (approximately Ksh32,500), is part of the newly enacted 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' passed by the Trump-led administration.
The Visa Integrity Fee will be applied on top of existing visa application fees. This effectively means that Kenyan tourists, business travellers, and students seeking to visit the U.S. will have to bear with considerably higher costs.
Visa integrity fees was introduced under a U.S law dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed by former President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025. The fees will apply to nearly all types of non-immigrant U.S. visas, including tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F-1), work (H-1B), and exchange (J-1) visas, all of which are commonly sought after by Kenyans.
As per the new provision, the visa integrity fee will take effect during the U.S. fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. With this in mind, applicants can expect higher fees to apply for a Visa from October 1, 2025.
Visa Waiver Program
Notably, there are a few select countries classified as those under a waiver program, like the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea. These nations will not be subjected to the $250 levy.
Unfortunately for Kenya and nearly all other countries from Africa, Latin America, and South America as well as select countries in Asia and the Middle East, the Visa Integrity fee will apply since their visitors are not part of the Visa Waiver Program.
More worryingly, the $250 (Ksh32,500) fee on top of other Visa charges is considered a base fee and could be adjusted in the near future by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who are likely to take into consideration other factors, including inflation.
With the base fees in mind, a Kenyan visitor already paying $185 (around Ksh24,000) for a tourist or business visa, will now pay up to Ksh56,500 in total, and this amount could be higher for those seeking an employment-based visa.
Travellers will also be required to pay the Form I-94 processing fee, which was recently increased from $6 to $24 (approximately Ksh3,120).
Refundable
Another key detail to note is that while the new fee is mandatory and cannot be waived, travellers who comply with all requirements can get a refund once their visa expires. However, experts anticipate that a refund will be highly unlikely as one would need to be 100 per cent compliant with the terms and conditions imposed when applying for the initial Visa.
One false move such as overstaying one's Visa by as little as a day or failure to comply with certain specific conditions could lead to the invalidation of the refund.
On the reasons behind the Visa integrity fees, the U.S has framed the new levy as a compliance mechanism. In other words, the new fees work as a security bond such that if a traveller adheres to all of the U.S immigration rules, they will be eligible for the refund.
