Another Shock for H-1B Aspirants as Trump Administration Proposes New Fee

The Trump administration has proposed an additional $103,265 fee for H-1B visa applications, delivering another setback to professionals seeking employment in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the proposed fee would apply to applications falling under the H-1B visa cap, including those eligible for the advanced-degree exemption. Applications exempt from the H-1B cap would not be subject to the proposed charge. The fee would be collected separately from the existing H-1B application fees. The proposal is expected to be formally published in the Federal Register, followed by a public-comment period.

The U.S. Congress currently limits the regular H-1B cap to 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 visas reserved for foreign workers holding a master’s degree or higher from U.S. institutions. If implemented, the proposed fee could significantly increase the financial burden on Indian professionals seeking to work in the U.S. Indian nationals accounted for 71% of approved H-1B petitions in fiscal year 2024, according to the figures cited in the report. Meanwhile, immigration law firm Fragomen has also pointed to a possible plan to introduce a fee of nearly $100,000 for the F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which is widely used by international students after completing their studies in the U.S.