Amid President Donald Trump’s new plan to impose a fee of USD 100,000 on work visas, immigration lawyers and various firms are warning H1B visa holders travelling outside the US to return immediately. In a significant development, Trump on Friday signed an executive order that will impact Indian professionals working in the US on H1B visas. Under the order, immigrants working in “specialty occupations” will not be allowed to enter the US if they do not pay USD 100,000 along with their H-1B applications.
This order will come into effect from 12:01 am on September 21, 2025. Immigration lawyers and firms are warning H-1B visa holders or their family members who are currently outside the US for work or vacation about the danger. They have advised such people to return to the US before the order comes into effect on September 21. Experts have said that they should return to the country within the next 24 hours, otherwise they may be prevented from returning. Renowned New York-based immigration lawyer Saisar Mehta said in a post on ‘X’, “H-1B visa holders who are outside the US for business or vacation will be stranded if they are not able to enter before midnight of September 21.
H-1B visa holders in India may have missed the deadline as direct flights from India will not be able to arrive on time.” Mehta said, “H-1B visa holders in India can reach California before midnight of September 21, 2025.” Users on social media posted excerpts from an internal Microsoft email in which the company asked H-1B visa holders and their dependents to avoid travelling outside the US and return immediately before September 21. Microsoft is understood to have asked its employees to remain in the US so that they are not barred from re-entry in the future.