New H-1B visa fees rule: Who will pay $100000 fees? What is the starting date? Who is exempt? Find answers to your questions here

Many companies immediately recalled employees who were travelling to other countries.

New Delhi: The H-1B visa fee announced by US President Donald Trump has created panic and fear among Indian professionals. Many companies immediately recalled employees who were travelling to other countries. Meanwhile, many professionals feared that even renewing their visas would require a hefty payment of $100,000, or Rs 88 lakh. But this is not the case.

Let’s simplify the new H-1B visa rules.

• More than 70 per cent of H-1B visa holders are Indians; hence, Indian workers are more fearful and doubtful.
• All H-1B visa holders don’t have to pay the $100,000 fee. Foreign professionals in the USA, who already hold H-1B visas, are not required to pay the fee. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a document stating that the new announcement applies only to petitions that have not yet been filed.
• The H-1B visa fee of $100,000 is not an annual fee. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt clarified that the $100,000 fee for H-1B visas is not an annual fee. It is a one-time fee that applies only to the petition.
• The H-1B visa fees do not apply to the renewal of the visa or to existing visa holders. The H-1B visa fees apply only to new visas.
• The new visa rule applies to foreign workers applying for H-1B visas after September 21, 2025.
• The H-1B visa fee is required to be paid by companies seeking to secure H-1B visas for their employees.
• These companies recalled their employees because there was little clarity about who fell under the new $100,000 H-1B visa rule.

Who is exempt from the H-1B visa fee?

Part of the announcement lists another exception to the $100,000 fee requirement. This gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to exempt certain individuals, companies, or entire industries from this rule if it is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to American security or welfare.