A software engineer from India, Rohan Mehta (not his real name), told the BBC that he spent over $8,000 (£5,900) on flights just to return to the US amid fears over a looming visa deadline following Trump’s new executive order.
Mehta had been in Nagpur, India, to mark the anniversary of his father’s death when he had to rush back. On Friday, Donald Trump imposed a staggering $100,000 (83.5 lakh rupees) fee for applicants to the H-1B visa program for skilled foreign workers, which US-based companies would have to pay. This move comes amid Trump’s effort to curb immigration-related issues in America while trying to preserve jobs for its citizens, as promised. While many Americans seemed to be celebrating the move, Silicon Valley has been grappling with the big blow it brings.
‘I’m regretting the choices..’
“I’m regretting the choices I’ve made in life,” Mehta said after spening 11 years in the US with his family. “I gave the prime of my youth to working for this country [the US], and now I feel like I’m not wanted. My daughter has spent her entire life in the US. I’m not sure how I’ll uproot my life from there and start all over in India,” Mehta added
Companies and immigration lawyers had already advised H-1B visa holders outside the US to return before the order came into force on Sunday. A day later, the White House clarified it would be a one-time fee and would not apply to current visa holders, but for many, the panic began right after the news broke.
“I booked multiple options because most were cutting it very close,” Mehta said just after boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight from Mumbai to John F. Kennedy International Airport. “Even if there was a slight delay, I’d have missed the deadline.”
H-1B visas are valid for three years and can be renewed once. They are capped at 65,000 annually, with an additional 20,000 reserved for advanced degree holders from US universities. Workers from India account for over 70% of the 85,000 H-1B visas issued each year, making the announcement particularly concerning for the Indian tech workforce.
H-1B visa holders rush to US amid Trump’s new executive order
The H-1B visa programme allows skilled professionals to work in the US with employer sponsorship and a job offer. Companies like Amazon, Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google have been among its biggest beneficiaries.
US Government data shows India accounted for 71% of approvals last year, with China second at 11.7%
Another H-1B holder on holiday in Europe described the situation as confusing. “We are yet to see how employers are thinking and how this will play out. From my understanding, the order is only for new H-1B visas. Immigration lawyers are still figuring it out and have advised us to go back.”
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified on X that the $100,000 fee is a one-time payment only for new applicants. Current visa holders outside the US are not affected. “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country 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,” she wrote.
The clarification came after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s initial announcement on Friday suggested the fee would be annual and apply to both new visas and renewals. The immediate reaction saw H-1B visa holders in India cancelling travel plans, while others rushed to book flights back to the US. Immigration attorneys and companies warned of potential “humanitarian consequences” if confusion persisted.