H-1B Fee To Apply Only For New Petitions, Not Renewals, Says White House

The White House has clarified that the newly announced $100,000 H-1B visa fee will apply only to fresh petitions, not to renewals or current visa holders. “This is a one-time fee that applies only to new visas. It will first be levied in the next lottery cycle,” a senior official told Indian media on Saturday.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the intent was to curb misuse by firms filing mass petitions. “This action discourages spamming the system and ensures fairness for American workers,” she added.

President Donald Trump, who signed the proclamation on Friday, said the measure would ensure companies considered local talent first. “We need workers, we need great workers — and this ensures that,” he remarked.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the steep cost, saying it would push firms to train domestic graduates instead of over-relying on foreign hires. “It’s just not economic to keep bringing in people when we have skilled graduates here,” he said.

The US issues about 85,000 new H-1B visas annually, with India-born professionals accounting for nearly three-fourths of approvals in 2023. The fee announcement has sparked unease in India’s IT industry, which depends heavily on the program to deploy skilled staff in the US. Experts warn the new costs may force firms to rethink business models or raise client fees.

  clarification, H1B visa fee, Indian techies, IT firms, steep hike, trump policy, white house