Guarding the Border, Maintaining Balance

The United States Department of State announced earlier this week that it will impose an additional fee of 250 US dollars for each application for a visa to enter the US starting in October 2025. This additional fee is intended as a sort of guarantee to ensure that visa applicants do not violate their residency permits or break the law while in the US, and it is promised to be refunded when the visa expires.

The fee is levied on citizens from countries that do not have visa-waiver agreements with the US, such as Indonesia. Visa types subject to the additional fee include student visas (F-1), tourists (B1, B2), professional workers (H-1B), experts in specialized fields (O), and foreign nationals employed by US companies who are recruited to headquarters (L) (Kompas.id, 21/7/2025).

This policy aligns with the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump to combat illegal immigration. As many as 42 percent of the 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. are recorded to have entered the country using valid visas, then remained even after their visas expired.

This move has drawn sharp criticism from the US tourism community as it will burden foreign tourists coming to the US. Moreover, the additional costs are not being used to improve tourism services.

Tourism Economics, which had predicted that the US tourism industry would grow by 8.8 percent in 2025, has revised its forecast and stated that US tourism will actually decline by 5.1 percent. This is despite the fact that the US will host the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which are sure to attract global interest.

Visa policies should remain adaptive, based on data and risk assessment, rather than generalizations or excessive fear of certain groups.

The United States is not the only country that has increased visa application fees. The United Kingdom has raised visa fees by 7 percent, and the European Union has also increased Schengen visa fees. Meanwhile, tourist destinations such as Italy, Spain, Japan, and Greece are imposing additional taxes on tourists to preserve the sustainability of tourist sites.

Meanwhile, in 2023, Indonesia introduced visa-free travel for 76 countries to boost tourism. However, the increase in foreign tourist arrivals, particularly due to the ease of applying for visas upon arrival in Indonesia (visa on arrival), is not always beneficial. Numerous crimes, misuse of stay permits, and other incidents involving foreign tourists frequently occur, particularly in Bali.

Every country indeed has the right to select foreign nationals who may enter its territory. This is based on considerations of sovereignty, national security, preventing illegal immigration, and reducing crime. However, this must be carried out fairly and proportionately, taking into account economic growth, including tourism, openness, and without discrimination.

Visa policies should remain adaptive, based on data and risk evaluation, rather than generalizations or excessive fears towards certain groups. They should not be so strict that they harm other sectors and create diplomatic tensions, nor should they be so open that they threaten security. Good relations between countries can help achieve that balance.