The White House on Saturday clarified that the new $100,000 payment tied to H-1B visas is a single charge attached to new petitions, not an annual fee, and does not apply to current visa holders or renewals. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the policy “applies only to new visas,” adding that existing H-1B workers— including those currently abroad — “will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter.”
President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation on Friday that limited entrance for some H-1B “specialty occupation” workers unless their employer’s petition is supported or supplemented by a $100,000 payment. The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, September 21, 2025, and will last for 12 months. .
On Saturday, Internal guidance issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services underscored the prospective nature of the policy. The memo states the proclamation “applies to H-1B employment-based petitions filed after 12:01 AM ET on September 21, 2025,” and “does not apply” to beneficiaries of petitions filed before the effective date, to currently approved petitions, or to individuals holding valid H-1B visas. It also says the proclamation “does not impact the ability of any current visa holder to travel to or from the United States.” 
India, whose nationals make up a large share of H-1B workers, urged careful review of the measure’s economic and humanitarian effects. In a statement Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs said the “full implications” are being studied by government and industry, noting that skilled-talent mobility has benefited both countries and warning of potential disruption for families.
The clarification followed a day of confusion in which some interpretations suggested the fee might recur annually. By day’s end, major outlets and officials reported the charge is tied to new applications, not to existing holders or routine travel, as the administration framed the move as part of a broader effort to curb abuse of the H-1B program and protect wages. 
What changes now: Employers seeking to bring new H-1B workers from abroad must plan for the $100,000 petition payment once the policy takes effect. The White House says the first practical impact will be felt in the next H-1B lottery cycle. Meanwhile, the proclamation directs the Labor and Homeland Security Departments to pursue rulemaking on prevailing wages and to prioritize higher-paid, higher-skilled H-1B cases. 
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