The clarification offers temporary respite to visa holders caught in weekend chaos, though official confirmation and legal challenges remain ahead.
After a nightmarish weekend of uncertainty, hundreds of H-1B visa holders stuck outside the U.S. on personal or professional visits may finally see a ray of hope. On Saturday at noon, a White House official confirmed to Axios that the new $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visas will not apply to individuals who already hold a valid visa and are planning to re-enter the country.
While the rule still takes effect on Sunday, September 21, this update offers some relief not only to H-1B holders but also to corporations. However, it is worth noting that no official press release has been issued on the update so far.
READ: Immigration attorneys prepare lawsuits against Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee (September 20, 2025)
Attorney Gnanamookan Senthurjothi, commenting on the development, says, “Applicants with valid H-1B and H-4 visas are not impacted by the new $100K fee, according to Axios. They can still travel abroad and re-enter on an existing visa, though caution is advised, as key questions remain. Let’s not act upon it immediately. The best advice would be to wait for a few more days for more clarity.”
The past 48 hours have seen a whirlwind of travel activity across multiple routes, particularly between India and the U.S. An individual on an H-1B visa currently in India told The American Bazaar on condition of anonymity that when they tried to reschedule their tickets, they were shocked to see sharply escalated airfares. The Delhi–New York route showed steep price increases, likely driven by the sudden surge in demand.
Videos are also circulating online showing the chaos that erupted on flights out of San Francisco airport on Friday, as India-bound passengers learned of the new executive order after they had already boarded. Many H-1B holders panicked and demanded to deboard. Some abandoned their journeys entirely, returning home and canceling travel plans for the foreseeable future.
On one Emirates flight, crew members even made an announcement acknowledging the situation: they were aware that some passengers had decided not to travel due to the order, and reassured them it was “perfectly fine.” According to several accounts, companies advised their H-1B employees against traveling. The disruptions also led to significant flight delays, with some departures reportedly held up for as long as three hours.
If an official confirmation on the new update come Monday, it will bring a much needed respite to hundreds of harried H-1Bs.
If an official confirmation of the update comes on Monday, it will provide much-needed respite to hundreds of harried H-1B holders.