Now Reading: US proposes $103,265 fee on new H-1B visas
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US proposes $103,265 fee on new H-1B visas
The Trump administration has proposed a $103,265 fee on certain new H-1B visa applications, the US Homeland Security Department announced. The fee, originally introduced via presidential proclamation in 2025, was struck down…
The Trump administration has proposed a $103,265 fee on certain new H-1B visa applications, the US Homeland Security Department announced. The fee, originally introduced via presidential proclamation in 2025, was struck down by a federal judge in June as an unlawful tax. The case is now before the First Circuit appeals court, which has not paused the lower court's order.
The proposed rule opens a 30-day public comment period and could be finalised by end of 2026. Separately, the administration is reviewing potential new fees for the F-1 Optional Practical Training programme, with reports suggesting a possible $100,000 fee, but no amount has been confirmed. Indians accounted for 71% of H-1B petitions approved in fiscal 2024.
The fee would apply mainly to new H-1B petitions involving beneficiaries outside the US, not to extensions or the common F-1-to-H-1B transition. The US Chamber of Commerce and Democratic-led states have challenged the fee in court.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both Livemint and The Federal report the same Trump administration proposal for a steep H-1B visa fee, but their framings differ in emphasis. Livemint leads with the specific $103,265 figure and the legal history, a federal judge already blocked the fee, making the proposal's future look uncertain. The Federal leads with the story as a 'review' of fees for H-1B and OPT, noting no amount is confirmed, which underplays the concrete proposal Livemint cites. The Federal also foregrounds the impact on Indian students and tech workers, naming Fragomen and India Today as sources, while Livemint stays on the legal back-and-forth. The balanced reading: a fee proposal exists, its fate hinges on the First Circuit appeal, and a 30-day comment period is now open.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): livemint.com (neutral report), thefederal.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
