The White House issued a large clarification Saturday (September 20, 2025) to its new H-1B visa policy that had rattled the tech industry, saying a $100,000 interest volition beryllium a "one-time" outgo imposed lone connected caller applicants.
Trump’s $100K H-1B interest spares existent visa holders, hits caller cases | LIVE
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, successful announcing the large interest summation connected Friday (September 19), said it would beryllium paid annually and would use to radical seeking a caller visa arsenic good arsenic renewals.
But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a clarification connected Saturday (September 20), hours earlier the caller argumentation was to spell into effect.
To beryllium clear:
1.) This is NOT an yearly fee. It's a one-time interest that applies lone to the petition.
2.) Those who already clasp H-1B visas and are presently extracurricular of the state close present volition NOT beryllium charged $100,000 to re-enter.
H-1B visa holders tin permission and re-enter the…
"This is NOT an yearly fee. It's a one-time interest that applies... lone to caller visas, not renewals, and not existent visa holders," she said successful a societal media post.
The enforcement order, which is apt to look ineligible challenges, comes into unit Sunday astatine 12:01 a.m. U.S. Eastern clip (0401 GMT), oregon 9:01 p.m. Saturday connected the Pacific Coast.
Prior to the White House's clarification, U.S. companies were scrambling to fig retired the implications for their overseas workers, with respective reportedly informing their employees not to permission the country.
Some radical who were already connected planes preparing to permission the state connected Friday de-boarded implicit fears they whitethorn not beryllium allowed to re-enter the United States, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
"Those who already clasp H-1B visas and are presently extracurricular of the state close present volition NOT beryllium charged $100,000 to re-enter," Ms. Leavitt said.
"H-1B visa holders tin permission and re-enter the state to the aforesaid grade arsenic they usually would," she added.
H-1B visas let companies to sponsor overseas workers with specialised skills — specified arsenic scientists, engineers, and machine programmers — to enactment successful the United States, initially for 3 years but extendable to six.
Such visas are wide utilized by the tech industry. Indian nationals relationship for astir three-quarters of the permits allotted via lottery strategy each year.
The United States approved astir 400,000 H-1B visas successful 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.
