By Anurag Kumar
Copyright timesnownews
After US President Donald Trump raised the H-1B visa fee to $100,000, uncertainty and panic have gripped thousands of visa holders, particularly Indian techies, now stranded in India. Many had travelled home for visa stamping, family visits, or weddings, only to find themselves caught in a race against time. On Friday, President Trump signed a proclamation restricting the entry of non-immigrant workers employed in “specialty occupations” unless their H-1B petitions are accompanied by an additional payment of $100,000. The order takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on September 21, 2025. Also Read: Microsoft, JPMorgan Ask Staff to Return to US By Tomorrow – Indian IT on Edge “H-1B visa holders who are out of the U.S. on business or vacation will get stranded unless they get in before midnight September 21. H-1Bs still in India may have already missed the deadline as there is no way a direct flight from India will get in time,” eminent New York-based immigration attorney Cyrus Mehta said in a post on X. Tech giants like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and JPMorgan have issued urgent advisories, instructing employees to return to the United States before September 21, 12:01 AM ET (9:30 AM IST). But for many, meeting this deadline is virtually impossible. Tonight, thousands of Indians on H-1B and H-4 visas are stuck in India. A rule now requires them to return by Sunday or face the end of their American dream, unless companies pay $100,000 per worker. For techies who have already spent years building careers, taken loans worth lakhs, and sacrificed family life, the situation has left them panicked and heartbroken. As it’s almost impossible for people to reach to the US in such short notice, many wondered whether the deadline will be increased. However, so far, there has been no such announcement on this issue. Microsoft, JPMorgan Urge Employees to Return Microsoft was among the first to publicly signal alarm. In an internal email quoted by Reuters, the company said: “H-1B visa holders should stay in the US for the foreseeable future. Also recommend H-4 visa holders remain in the US. Strongly recommend H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the US tomorrow before the deadline.” JPMorgan issued a similar internal memo, advising H-1B employees currently outside the US to make immediate travel arrangements ahead of the September 21 cut-off. The urgency of these advisories highlights how severe the situation has become, particularly for Indian workers who form the backbone of the global tech industry. Nearly 71% of all H-1B visa holders are Indian, employed largely in IT and software roles. Industry on Edge Major Indian IT companies such as Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) depend heavily on the H-1B program to place engineers on US-based projects. With visas valid for three years and renewable up to six, the additional $100,000 burden could make it prohibitively expensive for companies to continue sending Indian professionals abroad.
