US Proposes $103,265 H-1B Fee, Visa Crackdown
The Trump administration has proposed a major tightening of US immigration rules, including an additional $103,265 fee on most cap-subject H-1B petitions and plans to revoke up to 200,000 B1/B2 business and tourist visas linked to asylum applications.
US Proposes $103,265 H-1B Visa Fee
The Department of Homeland Security has proposed imposing an additional $103,265 fee on H-1B petitions subject to the annual visa cap.
The proposal would cover the 65,000 regular H-1B slots and an additional 20,000 available to applicants with advanced degrees from US institutions. Certain cap-exempt employers, including qualifying universities, research organisations and government research bodies, would not be covered.
The measure remains a proposal and must pass through the federal rulemaking process before becoming permanent.
Indian Professionals Could Face Higher H-1B Costs
The proposed fee could have significant implications for Indian professionals and technology companies because Indians constitute a large share of H-1B beneficiaries.
Washington says the additional charge would help fund immigration adjudication, fraud detection, national-security screening, immigration courts and other federal immigration operations.
A previous $100,000 H-1B fee introduced by the Trump administration faced legal challenges, increasing the likelihood that the new proposal could also attract court scrutiny.
US Eyes 200,000 B1/B2 Visa Revocations
Separately, the State Department is preparing to revoke up to 200,000 B1 and B2 visas held by foreign nationals who entered the US as temporary visitors and subsequently sought asylum.
The proposed action would focus on visas issued between 2016 and 2026. Revocation would not automatically result in immediate deportation, but affected individuals could lose their non-immigrant visa status.
The measures form part of a broader Trump administration push to tighten legal immigration, asylum procedures and visa screening.
