$100K H-1B Fee Is One-Time, For New Applicants Only, Not Renewals: White House Clarifies

The White House on Saturday issued a crucial clarification on its dramatic new H-1B visa policy, stating that the steep $100,000 fee will be a one-time payment applicable only to new applications and not an annual charge, nor will it affect existing visa holders or renewals . The clarification came amid widespread panic and confusion among Indian tech workers and US companies after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday to overhaul the skilled worker visa program .

In a post on social media, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to calm the rising anxiety. “This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition,” she wrote. “This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders. It will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle” . The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) echoed this, confirming that the order only applies prospectively to petitions filed on or after September 21 and does not affect those with currently approved petitions or valid visas .

The initial announcement had sparked chaos, with some interpreting the $100,000 fee as an annual requirement, leading major tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft to issue urgent advisories for their H-1B employees abroad to return to the US immediately . Many Indian professionals, who make up the majority of H-1B holders, scrapped travel plans, fearing they would be stranded or forced to pay the massive fee upon re-entry, especially with the upcoming Diwali holiday season .

Despite the clarification, India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed serious concern, stating it was studying the full implications of the measure, which it warned could have “humanitarian consequences” by disrupting families . IT industry body Nasscom also warned that the order could disrupt the global operations of tech firms . While the clarification that the fee is a one-time charge for new applicants provides some relief, the move is still expected to face significant legal challenges and marks a major shift in US immigration policy that will profoundly impact the global tech talent pipeline