US plans to hike H-1B visa fee over $100,000, moves to make it permanent; Indians may face impact
The proposed fee of $103,265 fee by DHS has been posted online in the Federal Register on Monday to be formally published on Tuesday.
The US administration, led by President Donald Trump, is set to hike the fee for H-1B visas, the work permits granting highly skilled foreign workers access to the United States, to over $100,000. Should the proposal become permanent, it would mark a significant increase from the initial temporary hike of $100,000 that expired in September last year.
The move is contentious and could have major implications for Indian nationals working in the US, given that approximately 70% of H-1B visa holders are from India. The proposal, announced on August 24, 2026, is currently under review by a federal judge in Boston and an appeals court, with its finalisation pending a 30-day public comment period following its publication in the Federal Register.
The fee hike, if approved, would apply only to new H-1B petitions, not renewals or extensions. The proposed fee stands at $103,265 and would be levied by the sponsoring employer upon filing the petition.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
