Indian software professionals in the US said their firms contacted them, asking not to travel abroad.
Published Sep 21, 2025 | 10:03 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 21, 2025 | 10:03 AM
The US on Saturday clarified that H-1B visa holders need not rush back, and the new programme will not affect them.
Synopsis: Voices from the Indian diaspora, as well as political leaders in Telangana, termed the US decision politically motivated and discriminatory, disproportionately affecting Indians and Chinese workers. With India being the largest beneficiary of the H-1B programme, the backlash is intensifying, as uncertainty weighs heavily on those who see the visa as a gateway to stability and opportunity.
Despite the White House on Saturday, 20 September, clarifying that the new H-1B visa programme will apply only to new applicants, Indians working in the US are a worried lot.
A sweeping policy change by the United States government triggered anxiety among Indian professionals, particularly those on H-1B visas, after President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing an annual fee of $100,000 on visa holders.
The announcement, made during a Friday evening press conference, drew sharp criticism for its ambiguity and suddenness, leaving thousands of immigrants and their employers scrambling for clarity.
While officials in Washington appear to be backtracking and offering conflicting explanations, the move has already disrupted travel plans, created confusion over company obligations, and raised fears of long-term consequences for skilled workers.
Voices from the Indian diaspora, as well as political leaders in Telangana, termed the US decision politically motivated and discriminatory, disproportionately affecting Indians and Chinese workers. With India being the largest beneficiary of the H-1B programme, the backlash is intensifying, as uncertainty weighs heavily on those who see the visa as a gateway to stability and opportunity.
“I believe the $100,000 tag is a pure and deliberate misinterpretation,” B, an employee at a tech firm for over a decade in the US told South First.
“He (Trump) signed something and held a press meet. The Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, said a lot in that press conference, misleading the people that the fee would be recurring and applicable to everyone,” he recalled.
However, he felt the move to be politically motivated. “They wanted people to be scared. It was a move catering to their voter base. Essentially, it was a show of strength against immigration,” he held, adding that there were two ingredient which made it seem so. “They held a press conference on a Friday evening and issued an impossible 24 hour ultimatum, it was never going to permanent,” he noted.
“Now, the government is scrambling to provide clarity and either retract what they earlier said or be dissonant from the policy released online,” he added.
He noted that the policy disproportionately targeted the Indians and the Chinese. “H-1Bs have always taken long for immigrants. This is not a new issue but rather the result of decades of backlog. There are many in the country who have stayed for decades but still didn’t receive a green card,” he explained.
However, he held that while this news may brew uncertainty, most people might continue staying in the United States. “Some people might want to leave in the face of all this. However, a lot of them need this. We are here looking for a better life. The education, nature, air, water, and work-life balance are all better than back home. The uncertainty just becomes a trade off,” he described.
His firm mailed him asking him to avoid travelling abroad if possible. However, B is not pessimistic about the future. “They are already backtracking and changing things. I think they did it for politics and theatrics, but big tech won’t sit idly by. His mission might have been accomplished politically, but the change will still come about,” he held.
“I’m switching over to an H-1B visa this October, R said. Having completed her Master’s, she now works for a leading tech firm in Seattle.
“Within an hour of Trump signing the executive order, I received an email from my firm asking me not to travel,” she continued. However, this newfound restriction meant that R would have to miss an important family event.
“After I started working, I told my sister, who is set to get married this year, that I might not be able to make it. With Trump’s administration, things were not looking positive to begin with,” she explained to South First. Now, R reports that she might not be able to return to India for over a year.
Yet, she is caught in a confusing situation. “I need to exit the country for my visa re-stamping. Earlier, I could have just gone to Canada and flown back in. However, a recent rule change has made it mandatory that I come back to India. I need to come home in order to get my visa re-stamped. However, since I do not have my H-1B already, it’ll mean that I have to show that my company has paid $100,000 on my behalf for the year,” she explained.
However, she has not received any communication regarding the payment and her status yet. To her, the entire situation is ridiculous. “When I first saw the news regarding this change, I thought it wasn’t true. It doesn’t make sense that a company would have to pay me a salary and then pay the government money for my sake as well,” she said. She recalled how watching Trump sign the Executive Order made the entire thing real to her.
However, she is hopeful about the future. “I think big tech firms will start negotiating with the government. It doesn’t make sense to begin with. Things might change in a week, maybe. We will have to wait and watch,” she noted.
However, she also described how she realised the precarious situation of visa holders in the United States. “There is no winning in the United States on a visa. You’ll always be at risk,” she said. “Being on a visa makes you vulnerable to the decisions you have no control over. Visa holders have always struggled in this country. Hence, I don’t know if this change is actually worse or just the natural next step,” she sighed.
However, in the meantime, R is disappointed to have to miss her sister’s wedding.
Former Balkonda MLA Anil Eravathri also worked in the US on an H-1B visa for 7 years before receiving a green card. Now, he serves as a member of the NRI Advisory Committee to the State of Telangana.
“The kind of decision that took place overnight is quite ridiculous. This won’t just affect every Indian in the states but every single immigrant. Trump is pushing a discriminatory policy,” he told South First.
He also points out the irony of the decision. “On the one hand, he talks about a good relationship with India, but now he’s put Indians in an impossible position in his country. This will affect Indians in the US, those employed there who are currently in India, and most of all the youth who hold US aspirations,” he said.
“While no one has reached out to me yet, there is no time for anyone to. The situation is unclear to those already there and those aspiring to head there. Meanwhile, those employed on an H-1B visa who are currently in India have to wait for a miracle to reach the United States within 25 hours. The NRI Advisory Committee intends to open channels of communication with the US government on this issue on behalf of the State of Telangana,” he assured.
The US on Saturday clarified that H-1B visa holders need not rush back, and the new programme will not affect them.
Furthermore, Eravathri noted that this change in immigration rules might finally reverse India’s ‘brain drain,’ retaining talent within the country.
Telangana IT and Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu has also expressed concerns over the Centre’s silence on the recent move by Trump to hike the fee on H-1B visas.
Speaking at the Telangana Secretariat on Saturday, the minister said India, being the largest beneficiary of H-1B visas, will be among the worst affected. He questioned why the Centre had failed to initiate discussions with the US in advance to safeguard Indian professionals and their families.
Sridhar Babu argued that while Trump has already hurt India with a 50 percent tariff, the additional visa fee will further impact IT professionals and companies dependent on remittances. He said it was disappointing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not responded directly to the issue, and urged both the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister to immediately open dialogue with the US. He emphasised the need for temporary exemptions for current H-1B visa holders and special arrangements to protect Indian IT professionals working abroad.
The minister noted that Telangana, with its large IT workforce, would be among the most affected states. He said the state government would write to the Centre pressing for immediate action. Criticising the central government, Sridhar Babu remarked that it was more focused on curbing the rights of states than addressing the concerns of Indians abroad. He added that ignoring Telangana in national policymaking undermines the federal spirit enshrined in the Constitution.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
