February 11, 2025
Mrs. Wagner (for herself and Mr. Gill of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct the Secretary of State to increase the fee imposed on aliens filing an application abroad for a visa authorizing admission to the United States as a nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(B) who are nationals of certain countries, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Fee Increases for Reckless Mismanagement Act of 2025
or FIRM Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Fee increase for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants
(a) In general
The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 281 the following:
281A. Fee increase for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants
(a) Fee increase
The Secretary of State shall increase the fee imposed under section 281 on an alien filing an application abroad for a visa authorizing admission to the United States as a nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(B) in accordance with subsection (b) for any alien who is a national of a country with respect to which the Secretary determines any of the following:
(1)
The Secretary of Homeland Security has reported to the Secretary of State under section 243(d) that the government of the country has denied or unreasonably delayed accepting an alien who is a citizen, subject, national, or resident of that country after the Secretary of Homeland Security asked whether the government would accept the alien.
(2)
The Secretary of State has designated the country as a state sponsor of international terrorism (as such term is defined in section 214(c)(4)(F)(ii)).
(3)
The country is listed as a tier 3 country in the most recent Trafficking in Persons report of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the Department of State.
(b) Amount of increase
The Secretary shall increase the fee described in subsection (a) as follows:
(1)
If the Secretary determines that the country meets one of the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a), the Secretary shall increase such fee by not less than 50 percent.
(2)
If the Secretary determines that the country meets two of the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a), the Secretary shall increase such fee by not less than 100 percent.
(3)
If the Secretary determines that the country meets three of the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a), the Secretary shall increase such fee by not less than 150 percent.
(c) Periodic review
On the first day of each month, the Secretary shall review the determinations under subsection (a), to determine whether any increase imposed should be reduced, or whether an increase should be imposed on nationals of any additional countries.
(b) Clerical amendment
The table of contents for the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after the item related to section 281 the following: