H-1B Visa Fees Skyrocket: What Indian Students Need to Know

On September 20 a clarification from White House came which stated that H1B $100K is for new applicants and $100K fee is one time, not annual. The fee does not apply to current H1B Visa holders; also it doesn't apply for renewals/2025 lottery winners. There is also no impact on travel/entry for existing visas.

Source: X

Indian students who are chasing the American dream, a big news has just dropped, for anyone hoping to work in the U.S. after their studies. U.S. government has imposed $100,000 (around ₹88 lakh) fee on H-1B visa applications, starting tomorrow September 21, 2025.

However on September 20, a clarification came from White House which stated that H1B $100K is for new applicants and $100K fee is one time, not annual. It also stated that the fee does not apply to current H1B Visa holders; also it doesn't apply for renewals and 2025 lottery winners.

The change in visa application fee is huge leap from earlier $4,000–$10,000. If you are studying in U.S. or planning to, this affects you big time.

What’s the H-1B Visa Anyway?

In case you are an International student studying computer science at a U.S. university on student visa (F-1). After graduation, you plan to stay and work at a tech company, H-1B visa is your ticket. It lets U.S. companies hire skilled foreigners, like engineers, doctors, data analysts for up to three years, which can be extendable to six). But, only 85,000 visas are given out each year (65,000 regular, plus 20,000 for candidates with advanced U.S. degrees). Last year, 71 percent of these visas went to Indians.

What’s the Big Change?

On September 19, 2025, U.S. government announced that companies now would have to pay $100,000 to sponsor an H-1B visa new application, earlier fee was much lower, $4,000 to $10,000.

Piyush Kumar, Regional Director, South Asia, Canada and Latin America (LATAM), IDP Education said: “The recent announcement has understandably raised some concerns from students and parents. However, it is still too early to gauge the long-term impact on Indian students wanting to study in the US. It is important to know that the students who are pursuing a U.S. education at the moment will look at H-1B pathways typically a few years down the line, while this proclamation has been proposed for next 12 months only as of now."

How Does This Mess with Indian Students?

Jobs Are Harder to Get: Small companies or Indian IT firms (think TCS, Infosys) might say, “No way, too expensive!” and stop sponsoring H-1B visas. Big players like Google might still pay, but they’ll want rock stars, not fresh grads. Fewer companies sponsoring means fewer job offers for students like you.

Financial Challenge: You have already spent lakhs (₹20–50 lakh) on U.S. education. If you can’t land an H-1B job, that investment might not pay off, leaving you or your family stressed about loans. If you are already working and your company can’t afford to renew your visa, you might have to pack up and leave.

Dreams on Hold: Students like Arpit Juneja, a master’s student in Texas are worried. “I worked so hard, but now companies might not sponsor me,” he says.

Why is U.S. Doing This?

U.S. thinks some companies misuse H-1B visas by hiring foreigners for cheap, taking jobs from locals. The huge fee is meant to make companies pick only the best talent. Pay H-1B workers higher salaries (new rules demand this too).

What Can You Do?

Don’t panic! You’ve got options to keep your U.S. dream alive or pivot smartly, be a superstar, study hot fields like AI or cybersecurity. Companies might pay the big fee for top talent. A master’s or PhD gives you a shot at the extra 20,000 H-1B slots.

Check Other Paths:O-1 Visa: For those with big achievements (like awards or published work).L-1 Visa: If you work for a company with offices in India and the U.S., they might transfer you.

Other Countries: Canada gives a 3-year work permit after study. The UK has a 2–3-year Graduate Visa.

Network Like Crazy: Hit up job fairs, LinkedIn, or your uni’s career center. Big firms or startups that love Indian talent might still sponsor you.

Stay in the Know: Follow U.S. immigration news or talk to a lawyer. The fee might be waived for “special cases” (details are fuzzy, though).Keep an eye out for lawsuits that might challenge this fee.

Plan Your Cash: Save up in case you need to head back to India or try another country. Part-time jobs during OPT can help.

H1B: What’s Happening Now?

The fee kicks in tomorrow, September 21, 2025, and some H-1B workers abroad are scrambling to get back to the U.S. before it starts. Indian government is looking into this and might talk to the U.S. about its impact.

Arpit puts it best: “It’s a setback, but I’m not done. I’ll keep learning and maybe check out Canada.” Whether you stick with the U.S. or explore new paths, this is reality now.

"The U.S. continues to be one of the most popular study abroad destinations for Indian students, particularly in STEM fields, with 4 out of top 10 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026. While students may also explore options such as Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, the U.S. is expected to hold its position as a preferred choice for Indian students seeking global exposure and academic excellence,” added Piyush Kumar.