The United States will increase travel and immigration fees starting January 1, 2026, due to an annual inflation-related update mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR-1). This adjustment affects the Electronic Visa Update System, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, and the parole fee for short-stay non-citizens. While not all Indian travelers will be impacted, those utilizing parole will see a minor cost increase.
Parole is a temporary authorization allowing individuals to enter and stay in the United States without a visa, typically granted for urgent matters or cases of public interest. Furthermore, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced in a recent notice that the fee for Form I-94, which records the arrival and departure details of foreign visitors, will remain at $30 for the fiscal year 2026.
US Customs and Border Protection announced that updated charges will take effect at the beginning of the new year. The Federal Register notice outlines changes including an increase in the parole fee from $1,000 to $1,020 (approximately Rs 90,300). The ESTA fee is set to rise by $0.27, from $40 to $40.27; however, ESTA does not apply to Indian passport holders as India is not part of the Visa Waiver Program. Additionally, the EVUS fee for Chinese B-1/B-2 visa holders will increase by $0.75, from $30 to $30.75.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, unified numerous laws and established new regulations affecting various federal government sectors. In the immigration domain, it set minimum fees for fiscal year 2025 and stipulated that future adjustments would be tied to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Beyond the fee increase, the Bill introduces a “visa integrity fee” specifically for non-immigrant visa applicants and raises fees for remittances, impacting immigrants who send money back home. Additionally, the CBP notice outlines updated charges for various forms concerning asylum applicants, individuals under Temporary Protected Status, and those applying for employment authorization tied to parole for the fiscal year 2026.
