White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified on September 21 that the new H-1B visa fee rule will be applicable only for fresh applicants and existing holders can re-enter without paying any charges.
Leavitt said the increased fee is a one-time fee and not an annual payment. Moreover, the current H-1B visa holders will not be charged $100,000 while re-entering the US.
“H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would; whatever ability they have to do that is not impacted by yesterday’s proclamation,” she said in a post on X.
Leavitt also said that the new rule applies only to new applicants and not current visa holders. “It will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle,” she said.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on September 19 to raise the fee that companies pay to sponsor H-1B applicants to a whopping $100,000, causing a mega disruption in the tech industry.
This means that those currently travelling out of the US or going to India need not worry about rushing back to avoid paying the visa fee. "Those who are visiting or leaving the country, or visiting India, they don't need to rush back before Sunday or pay the $100,000 fee. $100,000 is only for new and not current existing holders," ANI had reported earlier.
Widespread panic, confusion and concern had gripped Indians in the US on H-1B visas in the hours after Trump’s order to impose the fee, with many cancelling travel plans at the last minute while waiting to board flights to the homeland and several others already in India scrambling to return.
The latest move by the US President Donald Trump to curb immigration could affect India the most as almost three-fourths of the H-1B visas go to the country. The ministry of external affairs said the decision to impose $100,000 on new employees could disrupt families and hit Indian tech professionals and remittances.
"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,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said on September 20.
With agency inputs
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