On September 19, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a staggering hike in H-1B visa fees, raising the cost for new applicants up to $100,000. A weekend of policy turbulence left hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals scrambling, highlighting a growing fault line in America’s immigration and talent ecosystem. The announcement reverberated across Silicon Valley, prompting firms to warn employees against international travel and immigration lawyers to decode the sudden directive. By September 20, the White House clarified that the fee applied only to new applicants and was a one-time charge, but the uncertainty around the H-1B programme remains. For three decades, the H-1B visa has been more than a work permit. It has been a conduit of opportunity, particularly for India. Sma

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