₹98 Lakh For H-1B Visa Fee? How Will The US Visa Proposal Affect Indians?

The United States government has now proposed raising the H-1B visa application fee to over $100,000. The major update was announced in August 2026, and it could really impact Indian applicants, who get more than 70% of US H-1B visas. Here’s what you need to know about this.

US Proposes Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee 

Get ready to pay $103,265 (₹98,85,413 approx.) while applying for the US H-1B visa, as the US Department of Homeland Security has now proposed raising the application fee. According to The Indian Express, the hike was first temporarily imposed by the Trump administration last year, which significantly impacted applicants in the tech, education and research sectors.

But now, the increased H-1B visa fee of $103,265 may just become permanent soon, and it could be finalised by the end of the year. Before the Trump administration imposed the increase, the typical fees for H-1B visas were between $2,000 (₹1,91,429 approx.) and $5,000 (₹4,78,572 approx.).

Also Read: Russia Has A New Talent Visa With Fast-Track Residency; How Can Indians Apply?

How Will The Visa Fee Hike Impact Indians?

This huge increase in the fees is surely going to impact many applicants, especially Indians, who receive roughly 70% of all approved visas each year. According to The Indian Express, the H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign professionals with training in speciality fields. It offers 65,000 visas annually, along with another 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees.

With the new fee, US employers sponsoring new H-1B workers will have to pay extra money. This will make the recruitment of foreign professionals significantly more expensive. But here’s the important part. This new fee does not apply to visas granted to applicants who are already in the United States on student visas.

Applications from Indian students to US colleges have also declined by 15% due to stricter visa and immigration rules. According to The Times of India, the decline comes even as overall undergraduate application numbers for the 2026-27 academic year increased. International applications, however, declined and fell 10% through March 1, which is the sharpest decline recorded so far.

Also Read: Japan Trips To Get Costlier! Tourist Visa Fees Hiked Fivefold To ₹8,778

India, which has emerged as the biggest source of international students in the US, saw applications drop by 15%. Maybe students are now rethinking the “American dream”.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Lunamarina and Evgenia Parajanian

For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.