Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa surcharge to affect only new applicants

The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump’s newly announced $100,000 surcharge on H-1B visa petitions will apply only to first-time applicants and will be charged just once per petition, easing concerns among thousands of current visa holders and those with approved applications.

The proclamation, signed on Saturday, directs US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to collect the one-time fee on all new H-1B employment-based petitions filed after September 21, 2025.

Officials stressed that existing visa holders, renewals, and approved petitions will not be impacted by the measure.

Seeking to clear up confusion, US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained, “To be clear, this is not an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition. Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside the country will not be charged $100,000 to re-enter. H-1B holders can travel as usual, and their ability to re-enter is unchanged. This applies only to new visas, not renewals or current visa holders, and it will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle.”

The surcharge, part of Trump’s broader immigration policy, is intended to curb what the administration calls “systemic abuse” of the H-1B program while preserving opportunities for high-skilled foreign professionals.