US Court Rejects Bid to Revive Trump's $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
A US appeals court has rejected the Trump administration's bid to revive the $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee, leaving the proposed policy blocked as the legal challenge continues.
A U.S. federal appeals court has rejected the Trump administration's attempt to reinstate the proposed $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee, keeping the controversial policy on hold while the legal challenge continues. The decision offers temporary relief to employers and foreign professionals relying on the H-1B visa program.
Court Keeps Lower Court Order in Place
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to pause a June ruling that struck down the proposed H-1B filing fee for new overseas applicants. The judges concluded that the administration had not shown it was likely to succeed in overturning the earlier decision, allowing the lower court's ruling to remain in effect during the appeal.
The lower court had ruled that the proposed fee effectively functioned as a tax that Congress had not authorized. The administration had defended the measure as a way to discourage companies from replacing American workers with foreign professionals.
Relief for Employers and Skilled Workers
The proposed fee would have significantly increased the cost of filing a USCIS H-1B petition for employers sponsoring new specialty occupation workers from outside the United States. Under the current system, employers continue to pay the existing government filing charges and submit petitions using Form I-129.
The ruling also provides greater certainty for applicants tracking their H1B visa status or planning an H1B visa renewal, as no additional filing fee will be imposed while the case remains under appeal.
What Happens Next
The administration can continue pursuing the appeal, but the proposed H-1B Visa Fee cannot be enforced unless a higher court overturns the existing rulings. For now, the decision preserves the current filing framework for employers and skilled foreign professionals.
While the case does not directly affect Green Card processing time or US permanent residency, it removes the immediate risk of a major increase in employment visa costs, providing short-term certainty for businesses and H-1B applicants navigating the U.S. immigration system.
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Read full News here: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-court-strikes-down-donald-trump-100000-h1b-visa-fee-affect-on-indians-10803386/
