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The announcement: a $100,000 fee on top of your approved H1B
Yes, you read that correctly. The Trump administration has announced that the H1B visa fee will increase by $100,000 — that is roughly 90 lakhs in Indian rupees. In a year that has already seen enormous turbulence for US visas, this announcement stands out as the single most significant rule change of 2025 for H1B holders and applicants. Based on what has been reported so far, this additional fee would become payable after your H1B visa is approved. Only once the fee is paid would you be permitted to travel to the US and begin your employment.
Why is the Trump administration doing this?
H1B reform has been part of the Trump administration's agenda for some time. The stated objective behind this fee increase is exclusivity — the idea is to limit the H1B programme to applicants who bring exceptionally high talent and command higher wages. In short, the administration wants to make the visa significantly harder and more expensive to obtain, so that fewer companies use it and those who do are bringing in workers at the top end of the pay scale.
What is still not clear — the four big unanswered questions
This news is still at a very early stage, and there are four critical details that have not yet been spelled out. I want to be upfront with you about what we simply do not know yet.
1. Who does this apply to?
It is not yet confirmed whether the $100,000 fee will apply only to fresh H1B petitions, or whether it will also affect renewals and existing H1B holders. It is also unclear whether cap-exempt petitions will be included or excluded.
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No implementation date has been announced. We do not yet know whether this kicks in later in 2025 or whether it will be a 2026 change. Until an official date is confirmed, this remains an open question.
3. Who pays the fee — the employer or the employee?
This is one of the most important practical questions, and it has not been answered yet. It is not clear whether the petitioning company is required to pay the $100,000 or whether the burden falls on the employee themselves.
4. How will the fee actually be collected?
The mechanics of implementation have not been detailed. Where the fee is collected, at what stage in the process it becomes mandatory, and how compliance is enforced — none of this has been spelled out in the current announcement.
What you should do right now
Because this situation is developing quickly and the details are still raw, staying closely informed is the most important thing you can do right now. I am tracking every update on this and will bring you more clarity as soon as the information becomes available. If you want to be notified the moment there is a significant development, I would recommend joining my H1B WhatsApp community — the link is below. It is the fastest way to get updates on rule changes, fee announcements, and interview experiences from people going through the same process. If you have a specific question about how this might affect your own petition or timeline, feel free to DM me on Instagram at @shachi.mall.
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