New $320 Visa Fee for Visitors Risks Deepening US Travel Slump

Extra Charge Reinforces Bleak View of US as Holiday Destination Under a 'Hostile' Trump

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NEW YORK - A new US$250 (S$320) "visa integrity fee" imposed on travelers to the United States risks piling more pressure on the struggling travel industry, as overseas arrivals continue to fall due to President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration and hostility towards many foreign countries.

Overseas travel to the US fell 3.1 percent year on year in July to 19.2 million visitors, according to US government data.

It was the fifth month of decline in 2025, defying expectations that the year would see annual inbound visitors finally surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79.4 million.

The new visa fee, set to go into effect on Oct 1, adds an additional hurdle for travelers from non-visa waiver countries like Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China.

The extra charge raises the total visa cost to US$442, one of the highest visitor fees in the world, according to the US Travel Association, a membership organization.

"Any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount," said Mr Gabe Rizzi, president of Altour, a global travel management company.