Kenyans planning to travel to the United States face a significant cost increase starting this October, as the Trump administration has introduced a new mandatory Visa Integrity Fee of at least $250 (approximately Ksh 32,500).
The new charge stems from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a law signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025. This fee will be applied on top of all existing application charges for nearly all non-immigrant visas, including tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F-1), and business travel categories.
This means a standard tourist visa application, which currently costs around $185 (Ksh 24,000), will now require a total payment of over Ksh 56,500. The new fee structure is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, which marks the beginning of the U.S. government’s 2026 fiscal year.
While U.S. officials have framed the fee as a refundable security bond to ensure compliance with immigration rules, the conditions for a refund are exceptionally strict. A traveller must adhere to all visa conditions perfectly, including not overstaying by even a single day. Experts anticipate that obtaining a refund will be highly unlikely for most applicants, effectively making it a permanent charge.
The fee will not apply to citizens of 39 countries in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, such as the United Kingdom, France, and Japan. However, it will affect applicants from Kenya and nearly all other nations in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has indicated that the $250 fee is a base rate and could be adjusted upwards in the future to account for inflation and other factors, suggesting costs could rise even further.