WASHINGTON: A new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas in the United States that goes into effect on Sunday will be levied per petition and will not be applied to existing visa holders re-entering the country, the White House said on Saturday.
The United States has issued a clarification to its new H-1B visa policy, saying that the new $100,000 fee for skilled workers will be levied per petition and will not apply to current visa holders.
The announcement on Saturday came a day after US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said it would be paid annually, and would apply to people seeking a new visa as well as renewals.
“Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter,” Leavitt wrote. “H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would; whatever ability they have to do that is not impacted by yesterday’s proclamation.”
On Saturday afternoon, USCIS issued a memo, which was posted on X, clarifying the new requirements for the H-1B visa process and reiterating the press secretary’s statement that the new rules do not apply to current visa holders.
Trump’s executive order does not include such explicit language. The statements that the fee will not apply to renewals also contradict what Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters on Friday in the Oval Office.
“Renewals, first times, the company needs to decide,” Lutnick said in response to a question about the fee’s application. “Do they want — is the person valuable enough to have a $100,000 a year payment to the government or they should head home, and they should go hire an American.”
Amid the uncertainty, Amazon and Microsoft have urged H-1B visa holders who are now abroad to return to the United States before Trump’s order goes into effect on September 21.
“If you have H-1B or H-4 status and are outside the U.S.: Try to return before tomorrow’s deadline if possible,” Amazon said in a memo to staff on Friday. “We realize this is short notice but returning soon is advisable and you should make every effort possible to clear U.S. customs before 12:00 a.m. EDT (9:00 p.m. PDT) on Sunday, September 21, 2025.”
Microsoft sent a similar notice to its employees.
Trump and Lutnick said the executive order was needed to prevent abuse of the H-1B visa program. Tech companies have historically used H-1B visas to hire skilled foreign workers.
– Mason J and Griffiths
