One Big Beautiful Bill, the controversial bill proposed by the US President Donald Trump has already separated him from his billionaire buddy Elon Musk. Now, the One Big Beautiful Bill has come under the scanner of immigrants who have 'big beautiful' American dream.
Yes! you heard it right. Trump signed 'One Big Beautiful Bill' on July 4, 2025. The bill has introduced a 'Visa Integrity Fee' of 250 USD (Rs 21,463) and a mandatory charge of 24 USD (Rs 2,060) for the Form I-94, a key document that tracks the movement of foreign nationals.
These charges are not optional, and they apply to all applicants under F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange) visas, the core categories for international education.
Another mandatory charge now applies to the Form I-94, which is used to track entries and exits of foreign nationals. The new mandatory minimum fee for Form I-94 is 24 USD (around 2,060). Both fees apply to all applicants, including students from India applying for F, M, or J visas.
Now, the question arises will it impact Punjab students who are dreaming to study in the US? True Scoop reached out to immigration experts and queried around it.
Will Punjab students be impacted?
Ashish Ahuja, owner of ACS Immigration in Jalandhar, stated that although the US Visa price will be hiked, it will hardly have any impact on the students applying for US Student Visa.
Talking to True Scoop, Ashish Ahuja, owner of ACS Immigration, said, "Right now, a proposal has come but it is yet to be implemented. Let's see when the final price is imposed. After implemented the cost pf Visa will be hiked. I think the visa integrity charges will be returned once return to the home country after following all the rules. For student visa, the normal charges SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee is main and university fee is charged later in most of the times. Even if $250 is hiked, this will not impact the students much."
On being asked about average US Student Visa price, Ahuja said, "Embassy fee and SEVIS fee are around Rs 30-40 thousands. Then interview fees is also there. These two are main. Rest are other charges like application fee of their university, offer letter I20.
Offer letter fees, SEVIS Fee, and the third is Embassy fee. Approximately, these amount reaches till Rs 30,000 to 50,000. If external fees included more than Rs 20,000 to Rs 23,000 will be added more, if integrity fee is charged."
"In most of the countries, money go first, but that is not the case of the US. The US charges fee only after visa approval. "
Students already pay lakhs of rupees as fee in the US universities. Then, I don't think, students will have any problem paying extra $250 dollar," added Ahuja.
Sukant Nain Trivedi, CEO of Trivedi Overseas Education Jalandhar, informed, "As of now, so such case has come to our notice that someone's visa has got denied due to social media screening."
On being asked what kind of posts, the US Immigration officials will be watching in a person's social media account if he or she is applying to go the United States, Trivedi said, "They will see if they are not in conversation with any terror groups, whether they have made any anti-Trump posts, and the type of document you are submitting, is your social media is matching with your social status or not."
On being asked that it is often seen that people show a different life on social media as compared to reality. On this, Trivedi said, "This is a catch-22 situation, because people are living a lie on social media. The documents show his reality that his bank statement, income, etc, might be different. Although no specific case has come, it has come into force. Hence, in future, the US immigration will certainly keep these things in account."