Washington: The White House has clarified its new H-1B visa policy, confirming that the recently announced $100,000 fee will be a one-time payment applicable only to new applicants and not an annual levy.

The clarification came on Saturday, September 20, following widespread confusion in the technology industry after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s earlier statement suggested the fee would apply annually and include renewals.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the policy does not affect current H-1B visa holders or those seeking renewals. “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter,” she assured in a social media post.

The initial announcement created significant concern among US companies and visa holders, with reports of some H-1B workers de-boarding flights over fears they would not be allowed to return. Financial giant JPMorgan even advised its foreign employees to avoid international travel until the policy was clarified.

Commerce Secretary Lutnick had previously described the fee as a way to test whether companies truly valued their foreign employees, saying it would protect American jobs. President Donald Trump, who signed the order on Friday, argued that the H-1B system had been “deliberately exploited.”

India, whose citizens account for nearly 75% of new H-1B visas annually, expressed concern over the policy’s potential impact, warning of “humanitarian consequences.” In 2024, the US approved roughly 400,000 H-1B visas, two-thirds of which were renewals, with Indian tech professionals making up a significant portion of recipients.