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India-US airports in turmoil? Flight fares surge after Trump's surprising H-1B visa move; ‘Extremely bad situation’
Donald Trump's decision to raise H-1B visa costs to $100,000 has led to many Indian techies leaving flights upon announcement.
US President Donald Trump's surprising decision to increase the H-1B visa cost to $100,000 ( ₹88 lakh) and set a short implementation date of September 21 has caused a stir at US airports, with reports of numerous Indian techies stepping down from planes as soon as the decision was announced.
During this time, many Indians working overseas return home for Durga Puja, which begins next week.
Furthermore, individuals stranded in India noticed a significant increase in the cost of a direct flights to the US as airlines sought to capitalize on the disruption triggered by Trump. With Indians accounting for almost 70% of all H-1B visa beneficiaries, the move strikes them extremely hard.
According to the new guidelines, the H1-B holders have been asked to reach the United States before 12:01 a.m. EDT (9:31 a.m. IST) on September 21. After that, no H-1B worker will be permitted to enter the US unless the sponsoring firm pays the $100,000 charge.
Top IT companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and JP Morgan have warned their H-1B visa holders not to leave the US. Those currently overseas have been requested to return to the United States immediately.
Also Read: Can H-1B and H-4 visa holders in India fly back to US before Trump's September 21 deadline?
US-India flight fares see massive spike, netizens report chaos at airports
Within two hours following Trump's statement, the cost of a one-way ticket from New Delhi to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York increased from about ₹37,000 to ₹70,000–80,000.
“Flights from New Delhi to NYC are currently $4,500. They are all rushing back to the states because they are worried about the new H-1B visa rules,” one X user claimed.
Social media was inundated with reports of Indian travelers leaving US airports in the middle of their flight.
At San Francisco International Airport, for example, a number of Indian passengers persisted on getting off the plane, causing an Emirates aircraft to be delayed for hours.
“It was complete chaos… many H-1B visa holders just refused to fly once the news broke," a traveller named Masud Rana posted on X.
Similar incidents occurred in other transit centers, such as Dubai.
"An international flight packed with Indians from the Bay Area had completed boarding," explained chartered accountant Kaustav Majumdar, adding that "when panic erupted and people pleaded to get off."
Here's what major tech firms told to their employees
After Trump's announcement, Tech behemoths like Amazon, Microsoft, and JP Morgan promptly instructed their H-1B workers to remain in the United States and to return right away.
According to immigration experts, it is nearly difficult for anyone who is presently in India to meet the deadline due to the limited timeframe.
It takes 15 to 16 hours to fly directly from Delhi or Mumbai to New York, and as India is over 10 hours ahead of Eastern Time, even those who embark on the morning of September 20 IST will arrive after the US deadline.
Disclaimer: Hindustan Times has not independently verified the X user's claims mentioned in this story.
