U.S. President Donald Trump. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters The White House said that President Donald Trump’s new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications will apply only to new cases, not to existing holders reentering the United States.
The clarification, conveyed to 5WH by a senior administration official, came after the order sparked panic among current H-1B workers worried they would be forced to pay to return.
News of the proclamation set off a scramble across the Indian H-1B community, with workers rushing to airports in hopes of getting back into the United States before the measure took effect.
Immigration lawyers reported a surge of frantic calls from clients fearing they would be locked out or saddled with the hefty new levy, underscoring the uncertainty that followed the announcement. “Fee ($100,000) is only for new H-1B (applicants). Current H-1B visa holders will not have to pay to return to the U.S.,” a senior administration official told 5WH.
Such an assurance from the Trump Administration may calm immediate anxieties, but leaves broader uncertainty over the future of skilled immigration.
Published: September 20, 2025 5:27 pm
Source: The Hindu — Read original