Trump Admin Proposes $103,265 H-1B Visa Fee, Targets Renewals; Mass Visa Revocation Planned

Description

The Trump administration has proposed a new permanent H-1B visa fee of $103,265, applying to both new applications and renewals. Following a federal court striking down an earlier $100,000 levy signed via presidential proclamation as unlawful, the Department of Homeland Security submitted the new proposal through a formal regulatory process, opening it for a 30-day public comment period. The rule aims to encourage companies to hire more local Americans, while potentially raising around $8.8 billion annually for immigration processing. The increased cost poses a significant burden on the tech and finance sectors, especially affecting Indian IT professionals and foreign students on OPT status. Additionally, the administration is preparing a potential mass visa revocation targeting up to 200,000 temporary visitors on B-1 and B-2 visas who subsequently applied for asylum.