Shock and Confusion Over $100,000 H‑1B Visa Fee

The Trump administration’s sudden move to impose a US$100,000 ($151,598) fee on H‑1B visas has left employers, students and workers from the United States to India scrambling for answers.

Announced Friday and effective from 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Sunday, the policy does not apply to current visa holders, and officials insist H‑1B employees travelling abroad will not be stranded without paying the fee. Still, uncertainty persists.

Some immigration advisers are urging H‑1B workers to avoid travel until the rules are clearer. “What actually is the process for paying this $100,000?” asked Leon Rodriguez, a former US immigration chief, noting that agencies typically create formal procedures and forms before collecting such fees none of which have been outlined.

Questions also remain over whether universities and nonprofit research organisations, which are exempt from annual H‑1B limits, will be subject to the charge.

Created under the 1990 Immigration Act, H‑1B visas allow US employers to hire foreign workers with specialised skills and at least a bachelor’s degree. They are intended for temporary stays, though some holders later transition to permanent residency.