Weddings cancelled, flights abandoned: How Indians panicked after H-1B fee hike before White House clarification

A Reddit user, ‘Saramuch’, shared her experience of being stranded outside the US. She said, “And for those who lack compassion, shame on you. You didn’t have to see my mum crying because she was about to see me for the first time in a few months, that we were about to spend a week together for the first time in a few years!”

She added, “It’s unfair. We didn’t deserve it. The emotional toll has been immense, with families separated and important occasions missed.”

The timing of the announcement also coincided with Durga Puja and came just weeks before Diwali, a period when many Indian tech professionals travel home to celebrate with their families. Many visa holders told PTI that the main feeling among them and their families was one of “crazy sense of panic” and “worry”.

One said, “People had plans to travel to India for Diwali. They’re all in a flux and not sure what to do. Families book tickets for Diwali, for the December holiday season well in advance. This is the time when most people travel. This is the time when people actually want to leave and be with family during the holiday season. Now this has happened. Does this mean that I cannot travel this year? That’s another sense of ‘oh my god’.”

Airfare surge and mid-journey disembarkments

The rush to return to the US before the deadline led to skyrocketing airfares. Within hours, one-way tickets from Delhi to New York jumped from around Rs 37,000 to nearly Rs 70,000-80,000, with some last-minute tickets reaching $4,500.

Non-stop flights from Delhi or Mumbai to New York take approximately 15-16 hours. Since India is about 10 hours ahead of Eastern Time, even travellers leaving on the morning of September 20 (IST) would have landed after the US deadline.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced of several Indian passengers disembarking mid-journey at US airports as news of the fee hike spread. One user on X noted, “An international flight packed with Indians (coming for Durga Puja) from the Bay Area had completed boarding and was due to leave SFO Airport when the news about H-1B visa new rules broke out. Indians aboard panicked, pleaded to get off the plane.”

Another user added, “Within 20 minutes of the deadline announcement, around 10 to 15 passengers stepped off.”

One person told PTI, “This is a travel ban! Even if a person has a valid H-1B visa stamped on their passport, if they are travelling, or are on vacation, you cannot enter the US unless they have proof of the USD 1,00,000 payment. No one knows what the process is, what the fine print is. There’s absolute panic.”

Another said, “People who are standing in boarding lines at airports, people who are leaving for their own wedding tomorrow, things like that. They are cancelling because they don’t know what to do.”

Impact on India’s IT industry

The sudden uncertainty could affect India’s $283 billion IT sector, which earns roughly 57 per cent of its revenue from the US and relies heavily on American work visa schemes.

US government data shows India was the top recipient of H-1B visas last year, receiving 71 per cent of approvals. While the $100,000 fee applies only to new applicants, the initial panic highlighted the sector’s vulnerability to sudden policy changes and the dependence of Indian professionals on US visa schemes.

Key takeaway

While the announcement initially caused chaos and emotional distress among Indian H-1B holders, the White House clarification ensures that current visa holders are unaffected, and the hike impacts only new applicants registering from September 21 onwards. The episode underscores the need for clear communication and the potential ripple effects on Indian families and the IT sector whenever US visa policies are abruptly altered.