Department of Homeland Security Proposes Billions in New Fees for Student Visas and Stricter Customs Declarations

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has introduced proposed rules that would implement new fee schedules for international students participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) and modify filing requirements for informal entries of low-value goods. The proposed student visa fees could amount to $70,000 for initial OPT and $30,000 for subsequent OPT, with estimated opportunity costs of $29 billion over a decade. The customs changes are projected to add $7.7 billion in new costs and nearly 24 million hours of additional paperwork annually, leading thousands to flood government websites with comments.