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H-1B visa fees hike: How much do applicants pay right now? Lottery and Form I-129 charges explained
President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to introduce a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas.
H-1B visa fees might be getting more expensive. President Donald Trump is planning on introducing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas, Bloomberg News reported Friday, citing a White House official familiar with the matter.
The agency noted that the hike is part of the Trump administration's attempts to curb overuse of the H-1B and the President is expected to sign a proclamation to the effect this Friday.
Notably, Indians make up for nearly 70 percent of H-1B visas issued, as per USCIS data of 2024. Now, the Trump administration reportedly wants to restrict entry under the H-1B program unless it comes with a $100,000 payment. The Trump government believes this proclamation will stop the abuse of the H-1B pathway, the Bloomberg source added.
Amid the proposed change, here's a breakdown of cost for H-1B visas.
H-1B visa fees: Lottery, Form I-129 charges explained
The H-1B visa system requires payments for different parts of the process. One needs to pay $215 to register for the H-1B lottery.
If the applicant gets selected, then the employer has to pay $780 to file the Form I-129, which is the Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker.
Also Read | Amazon, Microsoft among companies sponsoring more H-1B visas than before: Report
Boundless, a US immigration services provider, states “Beyond Form I-129, the how much it costs to get an H-1B visa can vary depending on the company’s size, the cost to expedite the application, whether or not the H-1B applicant is changing employers and attorney fees.”
Notably, the US has also introduced a $250 visa integrity fee now, on top of the standard visa and fraud prevention fees, as well as the petition filing fees. This amount cannot be waived and can only be reimbursed if conditions are met, following visa expiration.
Besides the proposed changes to the H-1B fees, Trump also plans to order the Labor Secretary to undertake a rulemaking process to revise prevailing-wage levels for this program. The move is intended to limit the use of visas to undercut wages that would otherwise go to American workers, Bloomberg News also reported.
