US immigration dept clarifies on new H-1B Visa fees:$100,000 fee hike does not apply to ‘extension of stay’ or ‘change of status’ of non-immigrant workers in US

The Trump administration issued a clarification on the US’ decision to raise the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 (around ₹88 lakh). The US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) latest statement indicates that the $100,000 fee would not be applicable on ‘extension of stay’ or ‘change of status’ in the US. On September 19, 2025, the President issued a Proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, an important initial step to reform the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program. Under the Proclamation, new H-1B petitions filed at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025 must be accompanied by an additional $100,000 payment as a condition of eligibility. – USCIS Earlier, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had also said that the new fee was a one-time charge, to be paid at the time of application. For renewable, the H-1B visa would cost between ₹5.5 and ₹6.7 lakh. Renewable: The Visa could be renewed for another three years by paying the old fee again. The White House had also earlier stated that applicants would have to pay ₹88 lakh only at the time of first application. 1. What is H-1B visa? H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa. These visas have been given through lottery because many people apply for it every year. This visa is issued for people with special technical skills in professions like IT, architecture and health. 2. How many H-1B visas are issued each year? The US government issues 85,000 H-1B visas every year, which are mostly used in technical jobs. Applications for this year have already been completed. According to figures, Amazon alone received more than 10,000 visas this year, while companies like Microsoft and Meta have been approved for more than 5,000 visas. Government data shows that India benefited the most from H-1B visas last year. However, this visa program also faces criticism. Many American technical workers say that companies use H-1B visas to reduce wages and take away jobs from American employees. ​