On July 4, 2025, the United States government passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included a provision that will require some travellers to pay a “Visa Integrity Fee” prior to travelling to the U.S.
Many Canadian snowbirds have expressed concern and uncertainty as to whether they will be subject to this new fee. The short answer is, most Canadian citizens, including most snowbirds, will not be subject to the new fee. However, Canadian permanent residents, including snowbirds who are permanent residents, may be subject to the new fee.
Further details can be found below.
Who will be required to pay the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee?
Travellers who require a non-immigrant visa to travel to the United States will be required to pay the new fee.
Are Canadians exempt from paying the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee?
Canadian citizens will, for the most part, be exempt from having to pay the new fee, as Canadian citizens are generally allowed to stay in the United States without a visa for up to 6 months (although there are a few exceptions).
Canadian permanent residents, on the other hand, will generally be required to pay the new fee if they are citizens of a country that is required to obtain a visa to visit the United States. Canadian permanent residents who were born in U.S. Visa Waiver Program countries and are visiting the U.S. for 90 days or less may not have to pay the new fee, but we do not have confirmation on this at this time and will provide an update when this information is available.
How much is the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee?
The fee is currently set at $250 USD, but is subject to change by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Is the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee refundable?
According to the legislation, the fee may be reimbursable to individuals who meet all conditions of their non-immigrant visa. However, the U.S. government has not yet confirmed if this will in fact be the case, or what process will be in place to reimburse eligible travellers.
When will the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee come into force?
At the moment, the U.S. government has not provided an official date on which it will begin charging the U.S. Visa Integrity Fee. Some unofficial sources have indicated that the fee will start to be charged on October 1, 2025, although this has not been verified by official sources. We will provide an update as soon as this information is available.
Check Official Government Sources for Updates
It’s important to note that the U.S. government has not yet released all of the details related to the implementation of the Visa Integrity Fee, and Canadian permanent residents should closely follow official U.S. government sources for more information about the new requirements, as new details may become available quickly and without notice.
