Amidst the uproar over the huge fee of $100,000 imposed annually on H-1B visas after President Trump’s order, the US administration has now given great clarity. On Saturday, a senior official said that this new fee will be applicable only on new visa applicants. Indians or other professionals already holding visas do not need to worry about this at present.
The new H-1B visa fees announced by the US will apply only to new applicants and not to existing visa holders. A senior US administration official told ANI, “Those who are already in the US, leaving or visiting India, there is no need to return before Sunday. The new fee of $100,000 is only for new applicants, not for existing holders.”
Let us tell you that this clarification has come at a time when US President Donald Trump issued a new presidential proclamation on Friday (US time). Its title is “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, under which major changes have been made in the H-1B visa program. Under the new rule, a huge fee of $ 100,000 i.e. about Rs 88 lakh will be imposed annually on H-1B visa application. This step has increased the tension of external professionals working in America.
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Companies were immediately calling back the existing visa holders.
This rule is coming into effect from 12:01 am US time on September 21, 2025. Since its announcement, immigration lawyers and companies have been advising existing H-1B visa holders or their families to immediately return to the US so that they can avoid additional burden. Due to this there was an atmosphere of tension among the people. The companies had also said that H-4 visa holders (family) should also stay in America. Big tech companies like Microsoft have advised their employees to remain in the US until the ‘foreseeable future’, so that there is no risk of being denied entry.
However, now the administration has made it clear that existing holders will not have to pay this new fee.
Till now the visa fee was only this much
It is noteworthy that till now the fee for H-1B visa was between 2,000 to 5,000 dollars. In such a situation, this increase is considered to be the biggest historically, which is likely to have a deep impact especially on startups, small businesses and Indian IT professionals. According to the latest data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), 72 percent of the approximately 4 lakh H-1B visas issued between October 2022 and September 2023 are to Indians.
Indian government also issued a statement
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a statement on this matter. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the Government of India has seen these reports and its full implications are being studied. Indian industry has also released a preliminary analysis and clarified some misconceptions related to the H-1B program.
MEA said both Indian and US industries are invested in innovation and creativity and can consult on the best path forward. The movement of skilled workers and sharing of experiences has contributed significantly to technological progress, innovation, economic growth, competitiveness and wealth creation in both countries. Therefore, policy makers will keep in mind the mutual benefits of both countries and strong people-to-people ties when evaluating recent steps.
Expressing concern, MEA said that the new rules will bring difficulties and may have a humanitarian impact on families. The spokesperson said that it is necessary to reduce the instability created in the lives of professionals working on H-1B visas and their families. The Government of India hopes that the Trump Administration and US authorities will find an appropriate solution to this disruption, so that professionals and their families do not face unnecessary hardship.
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