H-1B Visa Alert: What the New $100K Fee Means for Indian Professionals
Confusion over the Trump administration’s new $100,000 H-1B visa fee prompted concerns among Indian professionals abroad about rushing back to the US. A White House official clarified that existing H-1B visa holders do not need to return by September 21 or pay the new fee.
Key points from the White House clarification:
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Fee applies only to new petitions: The $100,000 charge is a one-time fee per petition and does not affect renewals or current visa holders.
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Current H-1B visa holders safe: Those outside the US can leave and re-enter the country as usual; their ability to travel is not impacted.
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Next lottery cycle only: The fee will first apply to new applications in the upcoming H-1B lottery.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt emphasized on X that “this is not an annual fee” and “applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders.”
The clarification comes after companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and JP Morgan had alerted staff abroad to return before the September 21 deadline, fearing they might be denied re-entry.
Background on the H-1B visa program
The H-1B visa allows US companies to hire foreign workers with specialized skills for an initial three-year period, renewable for another three years. Indians account for roughly 71% of approved H-1B applications, making India the largest beneficiary.
Previously, sponsoring companies paid between $2,000 and $5,000 per applicant. The new fee, according to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, could total $300,000 over three years.
President Trump justified the change by arguing that the program has been “deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers”, lowering wages and undermining the US labor market.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the measure could have “humanitarian consequences” by disrupting families abroad.
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