H-1B Visa Rule: There is a big relief news for thousands of H-1B visa holders in America. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has clarified that the new fee of $100,000 i.e. approximately Rs 8800000 levied on ‘change of status’ for H-1B visa will not be applicable to existing visa holders. This was announced in the updated guidelines issued by USCIS. This has removed the confusion of thousands of professionals who applied for ‘change of status’.
Relief for F-1 and L-1 visa holders
USCIS confirmed that individuals already residing in the US on valid visas such as F-1 (student visa) or L-1 (professional visa) will not have to pay this new fee when applying for H-1B status. This exemption also applies to existing H-1B visa holders who wish to renew or extend their visas. In a section titled ‘Who is subject to the $100,000 fee’, USCIS clearly stated that this announcement ‘does not apply to previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas, or to any petition submitted before 12:01 a.m. ET on September 21, 2025.’
Trump announced a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas.
This fee was introduced by US President Donald Trump through a statement issued on September 20, 2025, which stated that anyone applying for an H-1B visa from September 21, 2025, would be charged this fee. USCIS also clarified that this rule does not restrict valid H-1B visa holders from traveling internationally. “This proclamation does not prevent any holder of an existing H-1B visa, or any foreign beneficiary thereof after petition approval, from traveling to and from the United States,” the agency said.
The guidelines specifically state that even foreign nationals whose F-1, L-1, or H-1B visas have expired will not be required to pay the fee, provided they reapply based on a previously approved petition or re-enter the US on a valid H-1B visa.
