NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Washington, D.C., September 20, 2025: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Saturday sought to clear up confusion over the Trump administration’s announcement of a $100,000 fee tied to the H-1B visa program.
In a post on X, Leavitt emphasized that the fee is not an annual charge. “To be clear: this is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition,” she wrote.
She added that current H-1B visa holders will not be impacted, even if they are traveling outside the U.S. “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter,” her statement read. Existing visa holders can continue to leave and re-enter under the same conditions as before.
According to Leavitt, the new fee will apply exclusively to new H-1B petitions in the upcoming lottery cycle. Renewals and extensions for current workers are exempt.
White House yesterday stunned the technology industry by issuing a presidential proclamation that said that beginning Sept. 21 at 12:01 a.m., companies bringing H-1B workers into the United States must pay a $100,000 per-petition fee.
“The days of employers abusing H-1B visas are over,” the proclamation declared. “Project Firewall will ensure high-skilled jobs go to Americans first.”
The announcement triggered immediate alarm in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street, where H-1B visas have been a backbone of hiring global talent. Companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and JPMorgan Chase issued urgent guidance to their employees.
Amazon and Meta urged staff abroad on H-1B or H-4 visas to return before the rule takes effect, with some notices warning workers to get back “within 24 hours if possible.” Microsoft issued a 24-hour deadline to Indian and other foreign employees outside the U.S., strongly recommending they fly back before Sept. 21. JPMorgan Chase relayed similar instructions, warning that those stuck abroad after the deadline could face crippling re-entry costs.
Immigration attorneys said they were flooded with calls from anxious employees and employers. “It’s chaos right now,” said one Atlanta-based lawyer. “Flights are being rebooked, vacations cut short, and companies are scrambling to figure out who can get back in before the deadline.”
Trump administration officials defended the move as a way to force companies to hire Americans. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters that employers must now decide “whether that worker is valuable enough to justify a $100,000 payment — or whether they should hire an American instead.”
Industry groups warned of devastating consequences, arguing that the measure could drive away top global talent and disrupt multinational projects. Legal challenges are expected in the coming days.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia/Wikimedia.
To be clear:
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) September 20, 2025
1.) This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition.
2.) Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter.
H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the…
