SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — The cost to get a U.S. tourist visa is supposed to go up by $250, according to the U.S. State Department, part of a provision included in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Christopher Teal, U.S. Consul General in Tijuana, who spoke with the El Sol Newspaper in Tijuana, said there is an ongoing “high demand” for this type of travel document.
He says that on average, the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana is processing 1,000 appointments daily for people seeking tourist visas.
“For those with an expired visa who want to renovate, it’s better to do it now because there’s going to be a lot of people who will want to go to Los Angeles and the United States to see the World Cup next year,” said Teal. “The average wait to get this visa is 100 days, although the consulate can make exceptions for emergencies and business purposes, but we urge people to do this as soon as possible.”
Teal recommends not using middle people or agencies who claim to be familiar with the process, suggesting applications should be done online or in person at the consulate.
Four months ago, the cost of the coveted U.S. tourist visa was scheduled to go up by $250; it will soon cost $435 due to an applied “visa integrity fee.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana tells Border Report the fee has yet to be implemented, the State Department had announced it would into effect October 1.
It says the fee has to be paid by most foreign nationals who require a non-immigrant visa to enter the U.S., including those applying for B-1/B-2 (business/tourist), F-1 (student), and most H-1B (temporary worker) visas.
In theory, the fee is intended to be refundable upon compliance with visa rules, but questions remain about the process and timeline for reimbursement.