H-1B Visa Renewals Could Become More Expensive for Indian Workers. Indian professionals working in the US on H-1B visas may face higher costs if the Trump administration expands an existing visa fee to cover visa extensions and renewals.Currently, the fee applies mainly to new H-1B and L-1 petitions and certain employer changes. Under the proposed rule, employers could also have to pay the fee when extending the stay of existing visa holders.The move could significantly affect Indian workers. In FY2025, Indian nationals accounted for 226,359 H-1B extension approvals, or 77.6% of all H-1B extensions.The additional fee currently stands at $4,000 for eligible H-1B petitions and $4,500 for L-1 petitions. The proposed change could extend these costs to qualifying extension applications.Large technology and IT companies with many H-1B employees could face higher expenses. Companies with major numbers of approved continuing-employment petitions in FY2025 included Amazon, Tata Consultancy Services, Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Google.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates that expanding the fee could generate around $157.3 million annually to support the US biometric entry-exit programme.The proposal is still under the regulatory process and is not yet a final rule.
