Washington/New Delhi: In the wake of the U.S. administration’s steep increase in H-1B visa fees, tech giant Microsoft has issued an internal advisory urging its H-1B and H-4 visa holders to remain in the United States, according to a Reuters report citing company communication. Financial services leader JP Morgan has reportedly issued similar guidance, asking employees to return to the U.S. before the fee hike deadline.
In its email to employees, Microsoft stated: “We strongly recommend H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the U.S. tomorrow before the deadline.”
The Trump administration has raised the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000, a move expected to heavily affect companies dependent on highly skilled foreign professionals, particularly from India and China.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialized fields such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, finance, and science. The H-4 visa, issued to spouses and unmarried children under 21 of H-1B holders, permits dependents to reside in the U.S. for the duration of the worker’s stay.
The fee hike takes effect from 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025 (9:31 a.m. IST). From that moment, no H-1B worker will be permitted entry into the United States unless the sponsoring employer pays the new $100,000 fee. Employers will be required to provide proof of payment, and the Departments of State and Homeland Security have been instructed to reject any petition lacking this documentation.
The restriction will remain in place for 12 months, unless extended.
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