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Amid widespread panic among Indian tech professionals following US President Donald Trump’s sudden proclamation on H-1B visa rules, a senior US administration official clarified on Saturday that existing H-1B visa holders are not affected by the newly introduced fee.
The clarification came after Trump announced a $100,000 annual fee for US companies employing H-1B visa holders. The move, which has significant implications for Indians, who account for nearly 70% of all H-1B visa holders, sparked confusion and concern, particularly among those travelling to or currently in India.
Speaking to ANI, a senior US official stated, “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.”
The official further confirmed that the fee will apply only to new H-1B visa petitions, not to renewals or extensions.
“The hefty H-1B visa fee will apply ONLY to new visa petitions and not to renewals,” the official clarified.
The comments come as a relief to thousands of Indian techies, after internal advisories from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and JP Morgan warned H-1B and H-4 visa holders to return to the United States before 12:01 am EDT on September 21, the deadline cited in Trump’s proclamation.
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Microsoft, in an internal communication, had said it “strongly recommends” H-1B and H-4 visa holders return before the deadline. Other major firms echoed similar concerns, prompting many Indian tech workers to urgently change travel plans.
The panic reached a peak at San Francisco International Airport, where viral videos appeared to show Indian passengers disembarking from an Emirates flight to India, fearing they may not be allowed re-entry into the US.
One social media user posted on X, “An international flight packed with Indians (coming for Durga Puja) from the Bay Area had completed boarding & was due to leave SFO Airport, when the news about H-1B visa new rules just broke out. Indians aboard panicked, pleaded to get off the plane.”
Although the videos remain unverified, they reflect the chaos and confusion triggered by the announcement.
The proclamation, titled ‘Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers’, alleges that the H-1B visa programme, originally meant to bring in high-skilled temporary workers, has been misused to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign labour.