Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:20am on 21 Oct 2025,Tuesday India Global
The Trump administration has clarified exemptions to the $100,000 H-1B visa fee, easing concerns for Indian students and tech professionals. The fee applies only to new petitions filed after September 21, 2025, for individuals outside the U.S. It excludes change-of-status cases, amendments, extensions, and reentries for those already in the country. USCIS confirmed existing H-1B holders can travel freely, and petitions filed before the deadline remain unaffected. Fee waivers may be granted in rare cases by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Employers must pay viapay.gov before filing. The clarification follows a lawsuit by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, calling the fee harmful to small businesses.
