NEW DELHI: The US Department of Homeland Security is moving ahead with proposals for new H-1B and OPT fees, according to a New York City-based law firm. The move might sharply raise costs for Indian students and technology professionals using the F-1-to-H-1B route.
For Indian students and technology professionals looking to build careers in the United States, the cost of getting there might be set to rise again amid all the increased scrutiny by the US President Donald Trump-led administration. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun the process of proposing new fees for both the H-1B work visa programme and the F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, according to New York City-based immigration law firm Fragomen.
The proposals are still under review and the exact amounts are not public. But the development is significant for Indians, who account for the overwhelming majority of H-1B beneficiaries. A USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) report shows that 71% of H-1B petitions approved in fiscal 2024 were for beneficiaries born in India.
The proposal of the potential charges comes after a tumultuous year for H-1B applicants, which saw the Trump administration introduce $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B petitions before the fee was struck down by a federal court.
While the H-1B visa is for foreign professionals hired in specialised jobs, the F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme lets international students work temporarily in roles related to their course of study.
New York-based Fragomen, one of the world’s leading corporate immigration law firms, said in a note on August 21 that US DHS has started the regulatory process for new fees affecting the H-1B and F-1 OPT programmes.
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