U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said there will be “a significant number of changes” in the H-1B visa process before February 2026, when the new fee of $100,000 goes into effect, as he described as “just wrong” the idea of “inexpensive” tech consultants coming into the country and bringing their families.

The Trump administration this month announced a one-time fee of $100,000 for new H-1B work visas, an order that will impact Indian professionals looking to work in the U.S. on the temporary visas.

Standing behind U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office when the H-1B proclamation was signed, Mr. Lutnick had then said that the $100,000 would be an annual fee for all H-1B visas, including renewals and first-time applicants.

Amid widespread panic and chaos, the Trump administration clarified that the new fee requirement for H-1B visas will not apply to current visa holders and is a one-time payment applicable only to new petitions.

“This procedure and process goes into effect in February of 2026, so my guess is going to be, there are going to be a significant number of changes between now and 2026,” Mr. Lutnick said on Sunday (September 28, 2025) in an interview with NewsNation.

Mr. Lutnick said that with the $100,000 fee on applications, “at least it shouldn’t be overrun with these people. But I think you’re going to see a real thoughtful change going forward. And that’s what I expect will happen.”

Questions lottery system

“There’s going to be a variety of changes; they’re talking about changes — how to get the lottery, should it still be a lottery? But that will all be resolved by February,” he said.

He said that “but as of right now”, there’s going to be a one-time fee of $100,000 to get in.

“There was a lottery. The H-1B is a lottery,” he said, adding that in his recent conversation with heads of two of the biggest tech companies in the world, “they said doing a lottery for skilled workers coming into America is ‘bizarre’.” 

Mr. Lutnick questioned why a nation should bring in skilled workers through a lottery. “That just doesn’t make any sense.”

‘Oversubscribed’

He said there is consensus that the H-1B process, which was set up in 1990 and “sort of butchered along the way”, needs to change.  He said the visas are 7-10 times “oversubscribed”, 74% of it is tech consulting. 

“H-1B visas are for tech consultants? Like, somehow, that’s important that tech consultants are onshore versus offshore. They’re all in other countries anyway,” he said, adding that about 4% of the visas were for educators and doctors. 

He added that the H-1B lottery needs to be “fixed” and the U.S. should only give “highly-skilled jobs” to the “most highly-skilled people”.

Mr. Lutnick said doctors and educators with high degrees should be able to come in but if companies want to hire engineers, they should employ only the highly paid ones. 

“The idea of having tech consultants and trainees who are inexpensive should be eliminated. I have a strong opinion that way. I think the President’s right with me on those same topics… I am completely on the view that this idea that inexpensive tech consultants should be coming into this country and bringing their families, I find it just wrong, and so it sits wrong with me,” Mr. Lutnick said.

‘Project Firewall’

This month, the U.S. Department of Labour announced the launch of ‘Project Firewall’, an H-1B enforcement initiative aimed at safeguarding the rights, wages, and job opportunities of highly skilled American workers.

The initiative will ensure that employers prioritise qualified Americans when hiring workers and will hold employers accountable if they abuse the H-1B visa process.

“Launching Project Firewall will help us ensure no employers are abusing H1B visas at the expense of our workforce,” U.S. Secretary of Labour Lori Chavez-DeRemer had said in a statement. “By rooting out fraud and abuse, the Department of Labour and our federal partners will ensure that highly skilled jobs go to Americans first.”

Through Project Firewall, the department will conduct investigations of employers to maximise H-1B programme compliance. To achieve this goal, the Secretary of Labour will “personally certify the initiation of investigations” for the first time in the department’s history.

Violations may result in the collection of back wages owed to affected workers, the assessment of civil money penalties, and/or debarment from future use of the H1B programme for a prescribed period of time.

Published – September 30, 2025 09:58 am IST

Vacationing in India, engineer Amrutha Tamanam rushed to return to the United States after Donald Trump abruptly announced a $100,000 fee for the visa she holds.

As she scrambled to get back to the country she’s called home for a decade, racially motivated far-right trolls launched coordinated efforts to disrupt flight bookings from India, calling their campaign “clog the toilet.”

The White House would later clarify that the new H-1B fee was a one-time payment not applicable to current holders. But leading U.S. companies had already advised their employees abroad to swiftly return to avoid the fee or risk being stranded overseas.

Ms. Tamanam, an Austin-based software engineer, began searching for a flight from Vijayawada, as users on the far-right message board 4chan moved to overwhelm reservation systems, in a bid to block Indian visa holders from booking tickets.

Clogging flight booking systems

One 4chan thread encouraged users to find India-U.S. flights, “initiate the checkout process” but “don’t checkout,” thereby clogging the system and preventing the visa holders from reaching the United States before the announcement took effect.

The campaign may have had a direct impact on Ms. Tamanam, who encountered repeated crashes on airline websites. The checkout page, which typically allows users a window of a few minutes, timed out much faster.

After multiple attempts, she eventually managed to rebook a one-way ticket to Dallas on Qatar Airways, spending around $2,000 — more than double the cost of her original round-trip fare.

“It was hard for me to book a ticket and I paid a huge fare for the panic travel,” Ms. Tamanam told AFP.

‘Keep them in India’

The 4chan thread — which also circulated among far-right Trump supporters on Telegram and other fringe forums — read: “Indians are just waking up after the H1B news. Want to keep them in India? Clog the flight reservation system!”

Responding posts, many riddled with racist slurs, advised users to hold seats for popular India-U.S. routes on airline websites and booking platforms — without completing the purchase.

The stated goal was to block availability on high-demand flights, making it harder to find available seats and inflating prices.

Illustrating the scale of the operation, one 4chan user posted a screenshot of their browser and claimed: “I got 100 seats locked.”

“Currently clogging the last available seat on this Delhi to Newark flight,” another wrote.

Several 4chan users also posted about holding up seats on Air India and slowing the airline’s website. However, an Air India spokesperson told AFP the site experienced no disruptions, with systems operating normally.

‘Shared antipathy’

Though difficult to measure the campaign’s overall effectiveness, the trolling was an attempt to “cause panic among H-1B visa holders,” Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, told AFP.

“The real scary thing about 4chan is its ability to radicalise people into extremist beliefs,” Beirich said, adding that several U.S. mass shooters had published manifestos to the site.

H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialised skills — such as scientists and computer programmers — to work in the United States, initially for three years but extendable to six.

The United States awards 85,000 H-1B visas per year on a lottery system, with India accounting for around three-quarters of the recipients.

In an age of information warfare, the troll operation illustrates how bad actors can launch disruptive attacks “with the stroke of a keyboard,” said Brian Levin, founder of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

“As nationalistic politics takes hold across the world, an informal international association of opponents will use an array of aggressive tools, including the internet,” Mr. Levin told AFP.

“What I think is so relevant is how rapidly it spread, how diverse the nations represented were, and how shared antipathy across international borders can be mobilised online.”

Published – September 29, 2025 08:18 am IST

Image for representation only
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Slamming the U.S. government’s new $100,000 H-1B visa fee as a “poorly thought through policy”, U.S. Democrat lawmaker Ami Bera said that both the U.S. Congress and American officials had been caught by surprise by the decision announced on Friday (September 19, 2025) by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Mr. Bera, who is part of a five-member U.S. Congressional delegation invited by the Ministry of External Affairs for a week-long visit to Delhi and Mumbai, said he would discuss the issue during the visit, and relay some of the concerns expressed to Washington. During the visit, the delegation will meet with MEA and Commerce Ministry officials as well as business and industry leaders.

The U.S. Congressional delegation’s visit to India comes just as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal head to the U.S. this week for talks with their counterparts on repairing the relationship and concluding trade negotiations that had been suspended for weeks.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Bera expressed the hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also travel to the U.S. and meet with Mr. Trump directly to take ties forward. However, MEA officials did not confirm any such travel by Mr. Modi. Mr. Bera added that, in Washington, “all indications” were that Mr. Trump intends to travel to India for the Quad Leader’s Summit later this year. 

‘May have opposite effect’

“I think this was a poorly thought through policy… Much lower fees of $1,000 to $4,000 were much more appropriate,” Mr. Bera said, when asked about the executive order passed by Mr. Trump that imposes a $100,000 fee per H-1B visa on U.S. companies that use it to hire non-Americans. About 71% of H-1B visas are granted to Indians at present, and they are likely to be the worst hit by the rule.

“I think this is going to hurt American tech companies, and in fact, it may have the opposite effect — instead of creating American jobs, a tech company might say, ‘Let me just expand my presence in Hyderabad or Bangalore’, said Mr. Bera, an Indian-American politician who has represented the 6^th Congressional District in California since 2013, and is a member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Strained ties

The invitation to the delegation led by Mr. Bera is part of the Modi government’s outreach to American lawmakers amidst a number of setbacks to the India-U.S. relationship. Over the past few months, ties have been strained in several spheres, from Mr. Trump’s decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods, including penalties on India’s import of Russian oil and threats of 100% on all BRICS members; his repeated claim that he mediated the India-Pakistan ceasefire, that India denied; the U.S.’s treatment of Indian deportees; its crackdown on visas issued, and cancellation of student visas; as well as the latest round of sanctions planned for those engaged in Iran’s Chabahar port project.

In addition, U.S. Congressmen close to the U.S. President have introduced a number of legislations, proposing “500% tariffs” on all countries that buy Russian oil and engage with it economically, and the India Shrimp Act, which proposes to levy 10% to 40% more tariffs on Indian shrimp exports to the U.S. 

“Certainly in the 12 years that I’ve been in Congress, this is probably a low point,” Mr. Bera acknowledged, but insisted that members of the U.S. Congress all “recognise the importance of the India relationship”.

Racism in the MAGA-verse

Expressing surprise at the downturn in ties, he said that both lawmakers and industry leaders should “step up” and speak to the U.S. President regarding their concerns about policies like the H-1B visa fee that are hurting the relationship. Much of the blame lies with Mr. Trump’s advisors, such as White House Trade Counsellor Peter Navarro and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who had not served in the administration before, he suggested, noting that the administration has already needed to roll back some of the measures announced on Friday.

In addition, Mr. Bera pointed to racism in the “MAGA-verse” or amongst Trump supporters, but said that this did not pertain to most Americans.

“I don’t know that it’s just targeted against Indian Americans, because you see it in targeting of other ethnic minorities as well. In the long term 21st Century, we all desire for our children, our grandchildren, peace and prosperity. I would say all of us see India as a major part of this strategy,” he added. 

Published – September 21, 2025 09:50 pm IST

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Washington:

US President Joe Biden is doing everything he can to improve the H-1B visa process, ‘green card’ backlog and other issues related to the country’s legal immigration system, the White House has said.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

“One of the steps, if we look at the H-1B visa process, we have taken action to improve that and the process and backlog for lawful permanent residents (green card) who are eligible to become US citizens,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Wednesday. She was responding to questions about the feeling among a section of Indian Americans that the president is not putting as much effort on addressing the woes of legal immigrants as he is doing for illegal immigrants.

Biden heads to the southern border with Mexico in Texas on Thursday.

“Just last month, for example, as a part of our efforts to strengthen the integrity of our immigration system and reduce potential for fraud, the DHS published a final rule relating to H-1B visa,” Jean-Pierre said.

“So, the changes promote fairer and more equitable outcomes and, so, we will continue our work to improve the system within our authorities and that has certainly been a priority,” she said and added that the administration takes that “very seriously” and is continuing to do everything that it can to improve the visa process.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the launch of myUSCIS organisational accounts that will allow multiple people within an organisation, as well as their legal representatives, to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions and any associated Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service.

A new organisational account is required to participate in the H-1B Electronic Registration Process starting in March 2024, the USCIS said.  “We are working expeditiously to address any technical issues that may arise for legal representatives whose accounts migrated when they logged into their online account on or after February 14, 2024, including impacts on cases other than H-1B filings,” it said.

The initial registration period for FY 2025 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 6, and run through noon Eastern on March 22.

During this period, prospective petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary, its media alert said.  Starting with the FY 2025 initial registration period, USCIS will require registrants to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary.

The passport or travel document provided must be the one the beneficiary, if or when abroad, intends to use to enter the US if issued an H-1B visa. Each beneficiary must only be registered under one passport or travel document.

“In March, we will launch online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for non-cap H-1B petitions. On April 1, USCIS will begin accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected,” the federal agency said.

To help guide organisations and legal representatives through the new process, the USCIS had launched the Tech Talks sessions in February 2024. During these sessions, individuals can ask questions about the organisational accounts and online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions.

The USCIS encourages all individuals involved in the H-1B registration and petition filing process to attend these sessions. Additional information and dates are available on the Upcoming National Engagements page, it said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

US President Joe Biden is doing everything he can to improve the H-1B visa process, ‘green card’ backlog and other issues related to the country’s legal immigration system, the White House has said.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

“One of the steps, if we look at the H-1B visa process, we have taken action to improve that and the process and backlog for lawful permanent residents (green card) who are eligible to become US citizens,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference on Wednesday. She was responding to questions about the feeling among a section of Indian Americans that the president is not putting as much effort on addressing the woes of legal immigrants as he is doing for illegal immigrants.

Biden heads to the southern border with Mexico in Texas on Thursday.

“Just last month, for example, as a part of our efforts to strengthen the integrity of our immigration system and reduce potential for fraud, the DHS published a final rule relating to H-1B visa,” Jean-Pierre said.

“So, the changes promote fairer and more equitable outcomes and, so, we will continue our work to improve the system within our authorities and that has certainly been a priority,” she said and added that the administration takes that “very seriously” and is continuing to do everything that it can to improve the visa process.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the launch of myUSCIS organisational accounts that will allow multiple people within an organisation, as well as their legal representatives, to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions and any associated Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service.

A new organisational account is required to participate in the H-1B Electronic Registration Process starting in March 2024, the USCIS said.  “We are working expeditiously to address any technical issues that may arise for legal representatives whose accounts migrated when they logged into their online account on or after February 14, 2024, including impacts on cases other than H-1B filings,” it said.

The initial registration period for FY 2025 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 6, and run through noon Eastern on March 22.

During this period, prospective petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary, its media alert said.  Starting with the FY 2025 initial registration period, USCIS will require registrants to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary.

The passport or travel document provided must be the one the beneficiary, if or when abroad, intends to use to enter the US if issued an H-1B visa. Each beneficiary must only be registered under one passport or travel document.

“In March, we will launch online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for non-cap H-1B petitions. On April 1, USCIS will begin accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected,” the federal agency said.

To help guide organisations and legal representatives through the new process, the USCIS had launched the Tech Talks sessions in February 2024. During these sessions, individuals can ask questions about the organisational accounts and online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions.

The USCIS encourages all individuals involved in the H-1B registration and petition filing process to attend these sessions. Additional information and dates are available on the Upcoming National Engagements page, it said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)