US H1B Visa News: US clarifies on H-1B visa fee, big relief for students, techies

In a significant development for Indian professionals and students in the US, the Donald Trump administration has clarified exemptions to the controversial $100,000 H-1B visa fee introduced via a presidential proclamation in September.

The Trump Administration has issued clarification on who must pay the H-1B fee, payment methods, and exception application processes, along with a big relief for students.

“The Proclamation applies to new H-1B petitions filed at or after 12.01 am eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, on behalf of beneficiaries who are outside the United States and do not have a valid H-1B visa,” said the USCIS statement.

“The Proclamation also applies if a petition filed at or after 12.01 am eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, requests consular notification, port of entry notification, or pre-flight inspection for an alien in the United States,” it added.

The biggest takeaway for employers is that the USCIS has clarified that the fee would not apply to a “change of status”—cases where people change from one category to another without leaving the country, such as moving from F-1 student status to H-1B status.

The contentious proclamation, which imposes an H-1B visa fee of nearly Rs 89 lakh, was introduced on September 19.

The proclamation had sown confusion among employers and applicants as the earlier directives left key questions unresolved.

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