Several H-1B visa holders who were planning to arrive in India for Dussehra holidays and had already booked their return flights were forced to cancel their plans amid the chaos and uncertainty.
Published Sep 21, 2025 | 8:08 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 21, 2025 | 8:08 PM
An estimated 73 percent of all H-1B holders approved in fiscal year 2023 were born in India.
Synopsis: In the chaos that ensued after the Donald Trump administration announced a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, several Indian workers who had returned home for the holidays scrambled to book urgent flights to the US before the fee was set to take effect, while many who were planning to travel were forced to cancel. The cost of last-minute bookings and cancellations was steep, and when a White House spokesperson clarified that the fee would not apply to existing visa holders, many were left frustrated rather than relieved.
When news broke in India on Saturday morning, 20 September that the Donald Trump-led United States administration would impose a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, a confused panic ensued.
Young professionals working in the US, who had returned to their homes for the holidays, scrambled to book immediate flights back before the fee was set to take effect at 12.01 am EDT on 21 September. Several IT companies sent urgent emails advising employees abroad to return before the deadline.
However, less than 24 hours later, on Sunday morning, a White House spokesperson clarified that the fee would apply only to new visa applications in the next lottery cycle, not to renewals or existing visa holders.
The clarification left many frustrated, having already spent large sums on last-minute tickets. From the usual ₹70,000–₹80,000 range, prices had shot up to ₹5 lakh on Saturday.
“I had to attend to my old grandparents who were sick in Bengaluru. I was initially planning on reaching the US on 23 September. But after hearing the announcement, I rushed to book an expensive flight to reach on 21 September instead,” said a 26-year-old IT professional from Bengaluru who works in the US.
H-1B is a type of non-immigrant visa in the United States that allows employers within the country to hire foreign workers for highly skilled roles for an initial period of three years.
An estimated 73 percent of all H-1B holders approved in fiscal year 2023 were born in India, according to Pew Research.
Also Read: Why Trump slapped $100,000 fee on H1-B visa holders | Explained
Several H-1B visa holders who were planning to arrive in India for Dussehra holidays and had already booked their return flights were forced to cancel their plans amid the chaos and uncertainty.
“I was very upset that I wouldn’t be able to go back home. I ended up cancelling my tickets and lost the entire amount since my travel was planned for next month and it was too short notice,” a H-1B visa holder from Visakhapatnam, who works at a data science firm in Boston, told South First.
She feared she would have to pay the steep annual fee to re-enter the US if she left for home. Although the later clarification confirmed the rule didn’t apply to her, the damage was already done.
“I lost the money in cancellation. Now I can’t rebook tickets to visit home anytime soon,” she said.
Several IT companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Goldman Sachs, sent emails to employees with travel advisories, urging them to return to the US within 24 hours.
“I know these developments are creating anxiety and uncertainty for many of you. While we don’t have all of the answers right now, we ask that you prioritise the recommendations above,” one such email seen by South First read. It went on to list a series of immediate measures to be taken by employees.
A Microsoft employee from Bengaluru told South First that he had landed in the city just a day earlier to celebrate the upcoming festivals with his family.
“Barely 24 hours later, I got an email from my company asking me to fly back. How are we supposed to drop everything and catch the next flight before midnight?” he said.
Although he has since returned to the US, the employee says he feels “cheated” by the Trump administration’s confusing announcement.
“They could have offered a little more clarity when the proclamation was first announced. This entire chaos could have been avoided,” he added.
Also Read: ‘I will lose my job’: Indian working in the US on Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee
The uncertainty spilled over into US airports too. A video purportedly from the San Francisco International Airport showing panicked passengers on an Emirates flight bound for India disembarking before takeoff, fearing they might not be allowed back into the US, has since gone viral on social media.
The flight was reportedly delayed for nearly three hours as a result, but the video could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Saturday that the fee would be paid annually but added that details were “still being considered,” Reuters reported.
The White House clarification on Sunday represented a turnaround from Lutnick’s statement, adding to the confusion among visa holders.
While existing visa holders can perhaps breathe a sigh of relief, the order is a major blow for young professionals eager to move to the US next year for work.
“I might just decide to stay back in India. My annual income will not support such an exorbitant fee,” said Varun C, a 34-year-old IT professional from Bengaluru.
Having secured a job at a company in California last month, Varun was planning to move in March 2026. His plans are now in limbo.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
