White House Says $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee to Be One-Time Payment

AFP/APP

Washington: The White House issued a major clarification Saturday to its new H-1B visa policy that had rattled the tech industry, announcing that the $100,000 fee will be a “one-time” payment imposed only on new applicants.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in unveiling the fee increase on Friday, had said the amount would be paid annually and apply to both new visas and renewals.

But hours before the new policy was set to go into effect, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt corrected the record.

“This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders,” she clarified in a social media post.

The executive order, which is expected to face legal challenges, will come into force Sunday at 12:01 am US Eastern time (0401 GMT) — 9:01 pm Saturday on the Pacific Coast.

Prior to the clarification, US companies had been scrambling to understand the implications for their foreign workers. Several reportedly advised employees against leaving the country, while the San Francisco Chronicle reported that some travelers de-boarded flights on Friday, fearing they might not be allowed to re-enter.

Leavitt reassured existing visa holders:

“Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter. H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would.”

H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills — such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers — to work in the United States. These visas are typically valid for three years and extendable to six.

They are widely used by the US tech industry, with Indian nationals accounting for nearly three-quarters of the permits allotted via lottery each year. In 2024, the United States approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas, of which two-thirds were renewals.