In a significant clarification following global backlash, the United States has announced that the recently introduced $100,000 (₹88 lakh) H-1B visa fee will not apply to all applicants, bringing relief to thousands of Indian students and technology professionals. The clarification from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated that individuals already residing in the United States including students on F-1 visas and workers extending or amending their H-1B status are exempt from the steep fee.
The rule, introduced under President Donald Trump’s administration, had triggered panic across the Indian diaspora and among US employers dependent on skilled Indian talent. The new regulation mandates the additional fee only for fresh petitions filed from outside the US starting September 21, 2025. Applications submitted before this date or those involving a change of status within the country will not attract the surcharge.
With Indians constituting nearly 70 percent of H-1B visa holders, the decision holds major implications for the global technology workforce. While critics call the policy a deterrent to innovation and global mobility, the White House maintains that the measure is aimed at protecting American workers. The latest clarification, however, signals an effort to ease anxieties among international students and the tech Sector.
