President Trump has signed a proclamation to raise the H-1B visa fee to a staggering USD 100,000 annually, a move that will adversely affect Indian professionals in the US.
After President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing an annual fee of USD 100,000 on H-1B visa applications, the Indian Embassy in the US has issued an emergency assistance number for Indian nationals seeking support.
Emergency assistance numberย ย
“Indian nationals seeking emergency assistance may call cell number +1-202-550-9931 (and WhatsApp). This number should be used only by Indian nationals seeking immediate emergency assistance and not for routine consular queries,” the Indian Embassy in the US wrote on X.
This move has sparked major concerns about its effects on Indian tech professionals and remittances, with 71-71 per cent of H-1B visas going to Indians.
India advises Missions/ Posts to extend all possible help
The Indian government has advised all its Missions/ Posts to extend all possible help to Indian nationals who are travelling back to the US in the next 24 hours or so.
The government said on Saturday that the full implications of the US decision to impose a USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications are being studied by all concerned, including the Indian industry, and that the measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families.
In a statement regarding restrictions to the US H1B visa programme, Official Spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said industry in both India and the US has a stake in innovation and creativity and can be expected to consult on the best path forward. “The Government has seen reports related to the proposed restrictions on the US H1B visa program. The full implications of the measure are being studied by all concerned, including by Indian industry, which has already put out an initial analysis clarifying some perceptions related to the H1B program,” it said.
“Industry in both India and the US has a stake in innovation and creativity and can be expected to consult on the best path forward,” it added.
White House clarifies who’ll be charged USD 100,000
The Donald Trump administration has clarified that the new USD 100,000 fee for H-1B visas does not apply to current visa holders and is a one-time payment only for new petitions. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said in a statement on Saturday that President Trump’s new H-1B visa requirement applies only to new, prospective petitions that have not yet been filed.
H-1B petitions submitted before the effective proclamation date of September 21 are not affected. Those visa holders currently outside the US also do not need to pay the fee for reentering the country.
“This proclamation only applies prospectively to petitions that have not yet been filed. The proclamation does not apply to aliens who: are the beneficiaries of petitions that were filed prior to the effective date of the proclamation, are the beneficiaries of currently approved petitions, or are in possession of validly issued H-1B non-immigrant visas,” Joseph B Edlow, Director of USCIS, clarified in a memorandum.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed the same. She also stated that the USD 100,000 fee on the H-1B visa application is a one-time fee, clarifying the misconception that it is an annual fee. “To be clear: This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition. This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders,” Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.
The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
Under a Congressional-mandated cap, the United States can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visas every year and another 20,000 to those who have obtained master’s and higher degrees from the US. The current H1B visa fee ranges from about USD 2,000 to USD 5,000, depending on employer size and other costs.
The initial registration period for the 2027 fiscal year H-1B cap is expected to open around March next year. Last year, there was a USD 215 H-1B registration fee for each registration submitted on behalf of each beneficiary.
Also Read:ย H-1B visa LIVE: Indian Embassy issues emergency number, White House clarifies who’ll be charged
Also Read:ย Trump’s order on H-1B visa will apply to new applications, not existing holders: US official