The Indian government has expressed concern over the newly imposed $100,000 fee for applicants seeking US H-1B skilled worker visas, warning of its potential “humanitarian consequences.”
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the fee, which is over 60 times the current charge, will take effect from Sunday.
Indian workers make up the largest group of H-1B visa holders, with more than 70% of visas issued to them. In response, some US technology companies reportedly advised employees holding H-1B visas to either stay in the US or return immediately if they were out of the country.
However, the White House clarified on Saturday that the new fee would not apply to existing visas or applications for renewals, reports BBC.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement on Saturday, stressing that the new fee would disrupt families and have “humanitarian consequences.” It also hoped that US authorities would take suitable measures to address these disruptions.
The statement emphasised that the exchange of skilled workers had greatly benefited both countries, adding, “Policy makers will therefore assess recent steps taking into account mutual benefits, which include strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.”
India did not outline a potential response to the fee in the statement, but tensions between the two nations have escalated following Trump’s tariffs on Indian oil imports from Russia last month. This has led to contentious trade talks, with India exporting $41.5 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024 and importing $87.3 billion in return, according to US Trade Representative’s office.
On Saturday, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal was scheduled to visit the US for trade discussions, according to news agencies. India’s top trade body, Nasscom, has said the change in the H-1B programme has created significant uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students globally.
The White House announced the fee increase, citing concerns that some H-1B visas were being misused to undercut US wages and outsource IT jobs. However, it also stated that exemptions could be made on a case-by-case basis if deemed in the national interest.
The H-1B visa is designed to allow US companies to temporarily hire foreign workers with specialised knowledge. In 2024, nearly 400,000 H-1B visas were approved, with approximately 260,000 of those being renewals, according to data from Pew Research Center.
Data released US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that in the first half of 2025, Amazon had received the highest number of H-1B visa approvals at 10,044, followed by Indian IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), with 5,505.
The new fee applies to visa applications for workers outside the US, which must be accompanied by the $100,000 fee. The current fee for an application is $1,500. Tech giants, including Amazon, Microsoft, and JP Morgan, have advised their employees with H-1B visas to stay in the US or return before the new rule takes effect.
These precautionary measures were issued despite the fact that the order did not specify that H-1B visa holders would be barred from re-entering the US or charged the new fee if temporarily outside the country after Sunday.
Amazon’s internal advisory, seen by Business Insider, suggested that employees unable to return by the deadline should refrain from attempting to re-enter the US until further guidance was provided.
