Kenyans to pay at least Sh32,000 more for US visas under new law
Currently, Kenyans pay Sh23,865 ($185) for B1/B2, F, and J visas and Sh26,445 ($205) for petition-based worker visas such as H and L. With the new fee in place, a Kenyan student visa applicant, for example, will now pay over Sh56,000 in total, while a worker visa could exceed Sh58,695.
Kenyans planning to travel to the United States will soon have to pay an extra $250 (Sh32,250) on top of current visa application fees, following the introduction of a new "visa integrity fee" under a recently signed United States domestic policy law.
The fee, introduced through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is universal and applies to every class of non-immigrant visa, including business and tourist (B1/B2), student (F1), exchange visitor (J1), and work-related categories such as H-1B, L-1, O-1, and their dependents (H-4, F-2, J-2).
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Currently, Kenyans pay Sh23,865 ($185) for B1/B2, F, and J visas and Sh26,445 ($205) for petition-based worker visas such as H and L. With the new fee in place, a Kenyan student visa applicant, for example, will now pay over Sh56,000 in total, while a worker visa could exceed Sh58,695.
According to the National Law Review, a database of legal articles, the fees will be charged per individual, meaning families applying together will pay the fee for each member.
However, the visa integrity fee differs from traditional visa charges in that it is only payable upon successful visa issuance by a US consulate. This means applicants whose requests are denied will not incur the charge.
Unlike the standard Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee, which is paid before the interview and is non-refundable, the visa integrity fee will only be paid once a consular officer approves the application and proceeds to issue the physical visa.
The law also grants the US Department of Homeland Security the power to raise the fee beyond $250 through future regulations. Additionally, starting in 2026, the fee will be adjusted annually in line with inflation.
Travellers from countries under the US Visa Waiver Programme, which does not include Kenya, are exempt from the new fee, making the impact particularly significant for applicants from African nations like Kenya, where US visas are required for most travel purposes.
According to CNN, The Department of Homeland Security, which will be responsible for implementing the new fee, has yet to release details on when it will take effect, how the refund process will work, or how the fee will be rolled out.
However, additional media reports indicate that the fees could be introduced as early as October 2025.
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