How Trump’s new H-1B visa fee triggered panic among Indian immigrants

Confusion, panic, and a flurry of hasty actions – it was a weekend of whiplash for hundreds of Indians on H-1B visas. The chaos ensued after US President Donald Trump signed a surprise order imposing a fee of $100,000 or over Rs 88 lakh for the H-1B visa.

Indians, who account for about 71 per cent of H-1B visa holders in 2024, were left puzzled. Chaos followed: internal emails from major tech companies – later posted on X – advised H-1B employees not to travel abroad for at least 14 days. Overseas workers rushed to book flights back to the United States, and immigration lawyers raced to interpret the policy.

Last-minute flight bookings drove up fares on routes from Indian metros such as New Delhi and Mumbai to US cities including New York, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco. Google Flights data analysed by India Today’s OSINT team showed fares for Chicago climbing from a typical Rs 35,000 to Rs 48,276 from Delhi and Rs 49,076 from Mumbai.