India warns the new H-1B visa fee will have “humanitarian consequences”

The Indian government has said a new $ 100,000 fee (£ 74,000) for candidates looking for American qualified visa workers will have “humanitarian consequences”.

President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the new H-1B Visa Applications fee, which is more than 60 times more than the amount currently charged to take effect on September 21.

India workers receive far -skilled visas in the program, only more than 70% of the issued.

Some US technology companies have been reported to advise employees with H-1B visas to stay in the United States or, if they are out of the country, try to return immediately. The White House then clarified the fee on Saturday will not apply to current visas or renewal applications.

A statement from the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said the fee will have humanitarian consequences “through disturbances caused to families.”

The Indian government “hopes that these interruptions can be viewed appropriately by US authorities,” he said.

The exchange of qualified workers “has contributed a great deal to both countries, the statement said, adding:” Politics politicians will evaluate the last steps, taking into account the mutual benefits that include strong relationships between people between the two countries. “

The statement did not provide specifics of a potential response from the India government.

As Trump imposed penal tariffs on India last month to buy Russian oil, both sides were locked in tense trade negotiations. The US exported goods worth $ 41.5 billion to India in 2024 and imported more than double, this, $ 87.3 billion, according to US sales representative.

On Saturday, the Indian government said its Minister of Commerce Piusha Goyal will visit the United States on Monday for trade negotiations, according to Reuters.

Making such a major change in the H-1B program in such a narrow window has created “significant uncertainty for business, professionals and students around the world,” said the leading trade body in India Nasscom.

In announcing the planned change, the White House said that visas were not used as intended, citing data saying that some visas were “abused” to undermine US salaries and put the job to IT.

But the order allows “exceptions from any case, if it is in national interest,” the White House said.

The qualified visa route aims to allow US companies to temporarily hire foreign workers with “highly specialized knowledge”.

Just under 400,000 H-1B visas were approved in 2024, of which about 260,000 were renewed, according to the US-based Pew Research Center.

US citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) show that in the first half of 2025, Amazon received the most approval of the H-1B VISA, with 10 044.

Second was the Indian technology company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), with 5 505.

Trump’s proclamation It applies to applications submitted to workers who are currently outside the United States, which must be “accompanied or supplemented with a $ 100,000 payment” (about 8.8 million Indian rupees). Currently, the administrative fees for the application are a total of $ 1,500.

Amazon, Microsoft and JP Morgan were among companies to advise employees with H-1B visas to stay in the United States, and for those outside the United States to try to return before the deadline, according to Reuters.

The advisers seemed protective, considering that the order did not say that the H-1B visas owners would be prohibited from entering the country or raising a fee for the new fee if they were temporarily out of the country after Sunday.

According to an internal council seen by Business Insider, Amazon said employees who cannot return to the United States before the order enters into force should avoid trying to try again “until additional guidelines are provided.”