Indians to be most affected by Trump administration's move to charge Rs 98 lakh for H-1B visas
The US administration under President Donald Trump issued a new proposal regarding H-1B visas on Monday. Under this proposal, foreign workers on H-1B visas would be required to pay an additional fee of $103,265 (approximately Rs 98 lakh) per visa.
The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to hire highly skilled professionals from abroad for a temporary period.
This fee would make obtaining an H-1B visa significantly more expensive than before. Previously, the cost of obtaining an H-1B visa typically ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 (approximately Rs 1.9 lakh to ₹4.7 lakh), though the amount could vary depending on the specific case.
This new rule could be implemented by the end of the year. If implemented, it would directly impact Indians, as Indian IT and tech professionals are the primary users of these visas.
A US federal court barred the US govt from collecting the fee
Trump had implemented this fee last year through a temporary order. However, in June, a US federal court declared it unlawful and barred the US government from collecting the fee.
A Boston appellate court is currently reviewing that ruling. Meanwhile, another court in Washington, D.C., is considering a petition filed by a major business organization regarding the matter.
The new proposal directs the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to formulate rules to make the fee permanent. In other words, the government is now attempting to enact it into law permanently.
Drop in H-1B Registrations Last Year
Amid the Trump administration's sweeping immigration drive, companies registered for approximately 344,000 H-1B visas last year. This figure was more than 25% lower compared to 2024.
The Trump administration has also ordered stricter scrutiny of H-1B applicants. Additionally, a new visa selection system has been proposed, which prioritizes highly skilled and higher-paid employees.
In early August, under a separate rule, the DHS proposed an additional fee of up to $4,500 for applications seeking to extend the stay of H-1B employees in the US or to transfer employees working abroad to the US.