Heads up, UAE residents! Planning a trip to the US? You might want to lock in that visa appointment sooner rather than later — especially if you’re looking to save some serious dirhams.
Those living in the UAE will soon face an additional expense…
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According to the US Congress website, a new “Visa Integrity Fee” is coming — and it’s not cheap.
Part of the H.R.1 “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, the legislation adds a minimum fee of $250 (around AED 920) to all nonimmigrant visa applications. And here’s the kicker: the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to increase that amount even further.
Bottom line? If you’re planning a trip to the US, now’s the time to book that visa appointment and dodge the extra cost.
The new fee charge is expected to be effective from 2026
The law states that the Visa Integrity Fee will be charged at the time your nonimmigrant visa is issued — and yes, it’s on top of the existing visa fees.
So if you thought the process was pricey before, this new fee just raised the stakes.
The standard fee for most nonimmigrant visas, including visitor visas, is AED 680
The Visa Integrity Fee isn’t waivable — but in some cases, it can be reimbursed.
To qualify, you’ll need to meet a few key conditions:
- You must have fully followed all visa rules — no illegal work or violations.
- If you didn’t meet that first condition, you should’ve left the US within 5 days of your visa expiring without requesting an extension.
- Lastly, you must have either received a visa extension or become a green card holder while your visa was still valid.
Miss any of those? No reimbursement.
