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Trump admin to impose higher fees on H-1B visas
Last week, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that will require a new annual fee of $100,000 for H-1B applicants. Trump insisted that the tech industry would not oppose the move. "I think they're going to be very happy," he said. LiveNOW’s Mike Pache is speaking with Immigration Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch as critics point to H-1B spots going to entry-level jobs, rather than senior positions with unique skill requirements.
The Trump administration issued new guidance about H-1B visas after the president said he would be imposing a $100,000 sponsorship fee on the program.
Here’s what the new guidance is saying:
$100,000 H1-B visa fee
The backstory:
Last month, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that would require companies to pay a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications, in a dramatic price increase. But details of how the fee would be administered weren’t immediately clear, causing panic and confusion for current H-1B visa holders – especially those who were traveling internationally and fearful of complications trying to re-enter the U.S.
The White House eventually clarified that the fee wouldn’t apply to existing holders or renewals, but details of how the fee would be administered and implemented were still sparse.
RELATED: H-1B $100k visa fee won’t apply to current holders, White House says
Presently:
More details and clarifications were given this week from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Here are some of the main points given by the agency:
- H-1B petitions filed on or after Sept. 21, 2025, for beneficiaries who are outside the United States and do not have a valid H-1B visa must be accompanied by a $100,000 payment as a condition of eligibility.
- The fee does not apply to any previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas submitted prior to Sept. 21, 2025.
- The fee does not apply to petitions requesting an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay. Though, if the worker is ineligible for the requested amendment, change of status, or extension of stay, the application would start anew and the fee would be applicable.
- Though, if the worker is ineligible for the requested amendment, change of status, or extension of stay, the application would start anew and the fee would be applicable.
- Current H-1B visa holders are permitted to travel in and out of the U.S.
An online pay portal was also established to pay the $100,000 petition fee.
Dig deeper:
College graduates on F-1 student status appear to be covered since the USCIS's guidance says those already in the US wouldn’t be subject to the $100,000 charge, Bloomberg reported, since the fee would not apply to petitions requesting an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay for those inside the U.S.
What is an H-1B visa?
FILE - A fragment of an H-1B visa (for specialty workers) stamp in passport. Getty Images
Big picture view:
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa that lets U.S. employers hire foreign workers with particular skills for a specific time. These visas are created for people who are in industries that require a bachelor’s degree or higher. Typically, the jobs are in fields like technology, finance, engineering, and architecture, according to the American Immigration Council.
By the numbers:
Historically, H-1B visas have been doled out through lottery. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient of H-1B visas with more than 10,000 awarded, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple and Google. Geographically, California has the highest number of H-1B workers.
Dig deeper:
Some well-known figures in American politics have held H-1B visas, including Melania Trump and Elon Musk.
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Legal challenges
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Trump adds $100K fee for H-1B visa applications
President Trump signed a proclamation that will require a $100,000 annual visa fee for highly-skilled foreign workers and rolled out a $1 million "gold card" visa as a pathway to U.S. citizenship. Elizabeth Ricci at Rambana & Ricci joined LiveNOW's Josh Breslow to discuss what it all means.
Meanwhile:
Last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sued the Trump administration over the fee, claiming it’s unlawful and would significantly harm U.S. businesses.
Prior to Trump’s proclamation imposing the new fee, most H-1B visa applications cost less than $3,600, according to the Chamber.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the White House. Background information was taken from previous FOX Television Station reportings and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.