These Visas Can Help You Escape the $100K H1B Fee

One of the many radical decisions taken by Donald Trump in his new tenure as United States president is the imposition of a massive $100K fee on H1B visas. This decision was communicated on September 21, and it is indeed in effect now.

In this context, the United States Immigration services have issued a new set of derivatives regarding this new policy, and here is what they have to say about the same.

The latest post on the immigration services website confirms that the $100,000 H-1B fee can be avoided if the applicant enters the U.S. on a different visa, for instance, F-1 visa for international students and L-1 visa for international companies and then switches to H-1B inside the US. They can re-enter the US on their H-1B and not be fined.

USCIS new guidance exempts F-1 students seeking H-1B change of status within the US from the $100k fee, and it instead applies only to new petitions requiring consular processing or entry from abroad.

The Proclamation does not apply to any previously issued and currently valid H-1B visas, or any petitions submitted prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025. 

In addition, the Proclamation does not prevent any holder of a current H-1B visa, or any alien beneficiary following petition approval, from traveling in and out of the United States.