Insights from Locals and Tourists on Current U.S. Travel Experience
In the current political climate of the United States, the travel situation for Indian tourists and Indian-Americans has become more challenging. During Donald Trump's second term in 2025, tighter visa policies and increased fees have made the process more complex and expensive.
Indian travelers now face stricter visa interview requirements, leading to longer waits and greater scrutiny during applications. Earlier leniency for visa renewals without interviews has been rolled back, requiring more in-person interviews even for renewals of popular visas like B1/B2 (visitor visas) and H-1B (work visits).
A new $250 Visa Integrity Fee, part of Trump's 2025 "Big Beautiful Bill," has been introduced and applies to most non-immigrant visa categories, significantly increasing the cost of obtaining a U.S. visa for Indians. For example, the usual $185 B-1/B-2 visa application fee is now supplemented by this additional fee, effectively raising the total cost by over ₹20,000 INR. This fee is expected to increase annually to keep up with inflation.
Other key changes include requirements for student visa applicants to disclose and make public their social media accounts, a measure aimed at enhanced digital screening and potentially increasing chances of visa denial based on social media content.
Indian-Americans on work visas like H-1B face uncertainty as Trump escalates trade tensions with India, raising prospects of more visa restrictions targeting sectors reliant on Indian labor. This has created insecurity for Indian IT professionals and outsourcing firms dependent on U.S. work visas, with the risk of tougher immigration policies as a political response to domestic concerns about American jobs.
Despite these challenges, some Indian tourists and Indian-Americans have had positive experiences in the United States. Sagar Agarwal, an Indian tourist, recently visited the US and found the country "very open" and "welcoming." He recommends visiting the California coastline, Portland, and New York City, among other destinations.
Malvika Sheth, an Indian-American based in Los Angeles, recommends Boston for its unique energy, intellect, and community, and New York for creativity and fashion. However, she has become more cautious in certain settings due to the political climate and spends most of her creative time in her apartment since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shriya Boppana, another Indian-American, recommends Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Miami, Anaheim, and Durham, North Carolina as top places to visit in the USA. She finds the present situation more complicated for immigrant families and wants to reassure travellers to the US that the country continues to be a land of opportunity, but that safety should be a priority.
Boppana also acknowledges experiencing immigrant-on-immigrant aggression and being told to "go back to my country" despite being a US citizen. She finds the current political climate painful, especially among youth who are learning ideas without understanding their damage.
International travel to the US has plummeted due to fear and uncertainty, with visits from overseas falling 11.6% in March 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. As of January to March 2025, 7.1 million visitors entered the US from overseas, 3.3% fewer than in the first three months of 2024. These figures do not include arrivals from Canada or land crossings from Mexico.
Several countries, including Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have issued travel advisories for the USA due to concerns about entry requirements related to gender identification on travel documents.
In conclusion, the travel situation for Indian tourists and Indian-Americans in the United States during Donald Trump's second term is more complex and expensive due to tighter visa policies and increased fees. Indian-Americans on work visas like H-1B face uncertainty as Trump escalates trade tensions with India, raising prospects of more visa restrictions targeting sectors reliant on Indian labor. Despite these challenges, some Indian tourists and Indian-Americans have had positive experiences in the United States, recommending various destinations for travelers.
- The increased costs and stricter requirements for obtaining a U.S. visa under Trump's administration, such as the new $250 Visa Integrity Fee and longer wait times for visa interviews, have significantly impacted the lifestyle of Indian travelers, making their travel to the United States more costly.
- In spite of the unfavorable travel situation and political climate, Indian-Americans like Sagar Agarwal, Malvika Sheth, and Shriya Boppana have shared recommendations for traveling to destinations within the United States, offering glimpses into enjoyable and welcoming experiences that can still be found despite the challenges.
