Trump’s H-1B visa move sparks chaos at airports, flight fares to US soar

US President Donald Trump's abrupt move to raise the fee for H-1B visa holders to USD 100,000 (Rs 88 lakhs) along with a deadline of September 21, 2025, triggered chaos at US airports, with reports suggesting several Indian techies disembarked from aircraft as they came to know about the announcement. During the month of October-November, several techies working abroad come to India to attend festivities.

As American companies issued notices to employees, urging them to return to the US by September 21, there was a massive jump in flight fares to the US. With Indians accounting for about 70 percent of all H-1B visa candidates, the move has impacted them the most.

According to the fresh rules, enter the United States before 12:01 a.m. on September 21. After that, no H-1B visa holder will be allowed to enter America unless the sponsoring employer pays Rs 88 lakh to the government. Amidst the chaos, top tech companies, including Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, among others, have appealed to their employees to stay in the US. Those away from the States have been asked to return to the US immediately.