Who pays the $100,000 H-1B fee? Trump admin clarifies policy
Who pays the $100,000 H-1B fee? Trump admin clarifies policy
USCIS outlines the $100,000 H-1B surcharge and a new online payment portal. Exemptions apply for F-1 and L-1 holders changing to H-1B, with rare national-interest exceptions needing Homeland Security discretion.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has laid out the specifics of a new $100,000 surcharge tied to H-1B visa applications and said payments must go through a dedicated online portal to move a case forward.
The disclosure comes as authorities seek to bring clarity to a policy change that has raised questions among employers and prospective visa seekers about who bears the cost and when it applies. Officials emphasized that the fee is part of the H-1B process and that the portal is the required channel for submission and payment, with enrollment in the portal a prerequisite for further processing.
Among the exemptions, the policy notes that existing visa holders specifically F-1 students and L-1 professionals who are changing status to H-1B are not required to pay the surcharge. The description stresses that such exemptions are extremely rare, with allowances only in cases where Homeland Security exercises discretion for national-interest considerations.
The Trump administration has moved to clear up the confusion surrounding the policy, aiming to set a straightforward rule on who must contribute to the new fee. For applicants and employers, the central takeaway is that payment is due through the new portal for most H-1B filings, while certain existing visa holders may be exempt, subject to the Homeland Security discretion mentioned in the policy.
