The application fee for the H-1B visa has been raised from USD 460 (over Rs 38,000) to USD 780 (over Rs 64,000), with the registration fee also jumping from USD 10 (Rs 829) to USD 215 (over Rs 17,000).
US Visa Fee Hike: The announcement by the US regarding an increase in visa fees for popular categories such as H1-B, L-1, and EB-5 has stirred concerns among Indian applicants. This move, effective from April 1, introduces significant changes in fee structures and application processes. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has raised the fee for Form I-129 from USD 460 to USD 780, marking the first major hike since 2016. This adjustment aims to help USCIS recover operational costs and expedite application processing.
Indian applicants, particularly those seeking H-1B visas, will experience a substantial 70% fee increase. Similarly, individuals applying for L-1 and O-1 visas will witness fee hikes of 201% and 129%, respectively. The introduction of a USD 600 Asylum Programme fee for specific petitions adds to the financial burden on applicants.
H-1B visa fee hike for Indians
The H-1B visa, crucial for many Indian IT professionals seeking employment in the US, will now cost significantly more. The application fee for the H-1B visa has been raised from USD 460 (over Rs 38,000) to USD 780 (over Rs 64,000), with the registration fee also jumping from USD 10 (Rs 829) to USD 215 (over Rs 17,000). This increase could affect the tech industry, which relies heavily on this visa category to fill specialised positions.
The H-1B visa, a non-immigrant visa, that enables US firms to engage foreign workers in specialized roles demanding theoretical or technical skills. This visa is important for technology companies, facilitating the recruitment of numerous employees annually from nations such as India and China. With its significance in filling skill gaps and driving innovation, the H-1B visa program plays a vital role in the tech industry’s workforce diversity and expertise.
L1 visa fee hike
The fee for L-1 visas has been increased from USD 460 (over Rs. 38,000) to USD 1,385 (over Rs. 1,10,000). The L-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa category in the US that is designed for intracompany transferees. It allows multinational companies to transfer certain employees from their foreign offices to work in the US temporarily.
EB-5 visa hike
The EB-5 visas, popularly known as investors visas fees has jumped from USD 3,675 (over Rs. 3,00,000) to USD 11,160 (over Rs. 9,00,000).
The EB-5 programme, launched by the US government in 1990, enables high-net-worth foreign investors to obtain a US visa for themselves and their families by investing a minimum of USD 5,00,000 in a US business that helps create 10 jobs for American workers.
What is USCIS saying?
It says the revenue generated from the visa fee hike will be used for improving customer experience and backlog. “For the first time in over seven years, USCIS is updating our fees to better meet the needs of our agency, enabling us to provide more timely decisions to those we serve,” said USCIS director Ur M Jaddou, as quoted by The Times of India.
Many experts have criticised the US visa fee hike for failing to provide the “resources needed to address the increasing humanitarian workload and efforts to reduce backlogs”, as mentioned in The Times of India report. They said USCIS must use the additional revenue to reduce processing times by streamlining adjudications, and use fee waivers as “generously” as possible.