The cost of applying for a new H-1B visa has now risen to $100,000, sparking widespread confusion and concern in India, where the visa is most heavily used by professionals in the U.S. technology sector. Reports of the fee hike led to panic among some passengers traveling from San Francisco to India, with videos showing individuals leaving planes out of fear they would be denied reentry without paying the steep new fee. Clarifications from the White House later confirmed the measure, but the initial chaos highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the announcement.
For many Indians, this was seen as yet another blow from the Trump administration, which recently imposed high tariffs on Indian industries. Community leaders expressed concern that the move was part of a broader effort to make Indians feel unwelcome in the United States, citing rising incidents of online and in-person hate specifically targeting Indian nationals.
The H-1B visa program has long been contentious in U.S. politics, criticized by both right-wing and left-wing figures for enabling companies to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized this reasoning, saying the priority should be to “train Americans” rather than bring in overseas workers.
However, critics argue the fee hike is more symbolic than substantive. Indian writer Tanul Thakur described it as a political stunt that fails to address deeper issues, such as the loopholes companies use to exploit foreign workers through underpayment. While he criticized the policy as ineffective, Thakur expressed hope that the controversy might pave the way for genuine reforms in the visa system.
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