All You Need to Know about Upcoming U.S. Visa Changes 2025

1. Interview Waiver Update (July 25, 2025)

Effective September 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of State is narrowing eligibility for nonimmigrant visa interview waivers. This ends the broader COVID-era flexibility and returns to more restricted, pre-pandemic standards.

What's Changing?

Most applicants will now require an in-person interview, including those under 14 or over 79.
Interview waivers will be allowed only in limited cases:

Eligible for interview waiver if:
- Applying for visa types: A-1, A-2, C-3 (excluding staff), G-1 to G-4, NATO-1 to NATO-6, or TECRO E-1.
- Diplomatic or official-type visas.
- Renewing a B-1/B-2 visa (or Border Crossing Card for Mexican nationals) within 12 months of expiry, and the applicant was at least 18 at issuance.

Key Impacts

Visa categories like H-1B, F-1, L-1, O-1 are now excluded from dropbox renewal unless within narrow criteria.
48-month renewal window reduced to 12 months.
Some interview waiver (dropbox) appointments may be canceled and require rescheduling.
Expect longer wait times due to increased demand for in-person slots.

2. New “Visa Integrity Fee” (Expected Late 2025)

As part of legislation passed in July 2025, the U.S. will introduce a $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” on most nonimmigrant visa applications.

Who Pays?

All nonimmigrant visa applicants, unless they are from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries.
VWP travelers won’t pay the $250, but will see an ESTA fee increase from $21 to $40.
Form I-94 fee (used at land borders) increases from $6 to $24.

Example:

A family of 4 applying for B-2 visas would pay:

$185 (visa) + $250 (integrity fee) × 4 = $1,740 total

Refunds?

The bill allows for potential refunds if travelers depart within their visa period and comply with all rules.
However, the process and criteria for refunds remain unclear.

3. At-a-Glance Summary

Change	Details	Effective Date	Who It Affects
Interview waiver restrictions	Only narrow cases like diplomats, B renewals within 12 months	Sept 2, 2025	Most nonimmigrant visa applicants
48 → 12 month renewal window	Previous flexibility eliminated	Sept 2, 2025	H-1B, F-1, L-1, etc.
$250 Visa Integrity Fee	Extra fee for nonimmigrant visas	Late 2025 (TBD)	All non-VWP visa applicants
ESTA fee increase	$21 → $40 for electronic travel auth (VWP travelers)	Late 2025 (TBD)	Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries
Form I-94 fee increase	$6 → $24 (land border crossings)	Late 2025 (TBD)	Most travelers at land borders

What You Should Do

Check your eligibility — Especially if you're planning to renew a nonimmigrant visa soon.
Apply early — Interview wait times are likely to grow, especially in busy consulates.
Budget for higher fees — Expect hundreds of dollars more in total costs.
Track the launch of the visa integrity fee — Final implementation details still pending.