Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

A sudden announcement by US President Donald Trump of a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas triggered panic worldwide over the weekend, with Indian professionals rushing to secure flights back to the US and the Indian embassy issuing an emergency hotline. Indians, who account for nearly 75 percent of the 85,000 H-1B visas issued annually, were among the hardest hit. Major US employers such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Tata Consultancy Services, which rely heavily on H-1B talent, quickly advised employees abroad to return and remain in the US. In the UAE, travel agents described Saturday (September 20) as a day of chaos. All US-bound flights were reportedly full on Saturday, with Emirates and Etihad Airways providing strong connectivity for people flying from the Indian subcontinent to the US. Travel agents said that most travellers chose Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport due to its US pre-clearance facility. Videos went viral on social media showing passengers demanding to be deboarded mid-journey as confusion mounted over their visa status. To manage the crisis, the Indian embassy in Washington released an emergency hotline (+1-202-550-9931 via call and WhatsApp) for Indians needing urgent assistance. Officials clarified that the number was only for emergencies, not routine consular queries. India’s Ministry of External Affairs warned that the policy would have “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families.” Nasscom, representing India’s $283 billion IT outsourcing industry, said the move could “disrupt global operations of Indian technology services companies.” Following widespread confusion, the White House issued clarifications: • The $100,000 fee applies only to new H-1B applicants in the next lottery, not current holders or renewals. • Exemptions may be made “if in the national interest.” • The fee is one-time only, not annual. Despite this, many H-1B visa holders are still expediting return travel, fearing further rule changes.  The Trump administration said the fee aims to prevent “exploitation” of the program by employers “holding down wages at the expense of US workers.” ICA/Expat Media
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