Overview

• The rule became effective at 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025, following a presidential proclamation setting a one-year window.
• White House officials clarified the fee is a single payment for future applicants outside the United States, with current H-1B holders not affected.
• Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Goldman Sachs sent urgent memos telling H-1B staff not to travel or to return promptly, with Amazon later informing employees that no action was required for existing visa holders.
• Air travel saw immediate disruption, including a more than three-hour delay of an Emirates flight from San Francisco as several Indian passengers deplaned, while India—accounting for roughly 71% of approvals—voiced concern through industry group Nasscom and government statements.
• The move is part of a broader immigration shift that includes a ‘Gold Card’ residency option for large payments, which the administration says will boost hiring of Americans and raise revenue, with outside estimates putting potential H-1B fee receipts near $14 billion.