Top U.S. authorities have clarified and issued clarifications regarding the controversial $100,000 H-1B visa fee. The existing H-1B visa holders will not face any restrictions on entering the US, according to the new guidance released by the US authorities.
On September 19, 2025, Trump issued a Proclamation to reform the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program by restricting the entry of certain nonimmigrant workers into the US.
New H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025, must be accompanied by an additional $100,000 payment from the US employer hiring foreign workers, as an eligibility condition. This fee is mandatory for US employers and is not to be paid by the foreign worker.
The new $100k H-1B fee raised alarm, particularly among those who were outside the US around September 19.
The question raised was whether the $100k fee will apply to H-1B visa holders not within the US after September 21, 2025.
Users on social platforms are expressing concerns about the travel experiences of current H-1B visa holders in the US, particularly after September 21, regarding any scrutiny or restrictions.
On Blind, a community platform for professionals, users are posting similar queries like ‘Travel on H1B’, and ‘Should I cancel my mom’s 70th birthday trip?’
“At this point, H-1B holders are not facing any new travel restrictions. According to immigration attorneys we work with, reentry and visa stamping processes remain unchanged for now,” says Dmitry Litvinov, CEO and Founder of Dreem, an immigration platform.
The guidance issued on October 20 clarifies that the proclamation applies to new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025, on behalf of beneficiaries who are outside the United States and do not have a valid H-1B visa.’
The clarification also stated that the proclamation does not apply to any previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas or any petitions submitted before September 21, 2025.
What also came as a relief, the proclamation does not prevent any holder of a current H-1B visa, or any foreign worker beneficiary following petition approval, from traveling in and out of the United States.
