Washington DC, Oct. 21 -- In what will bring some relief to those seeking to apply for H1B visas in the US, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services on Monday (local time) has clarified that the USD 100,000 H1B visa fee will not apply to applicants seeking a "change of status" or "extension of stay", according to fresh guidelines.

USCIS confirmed that the $100,000 H-1B fee can be avoided if the applicant enters on a different visa (e.g. F-1 visa for international students, L-1 visa for international companies) and then switches to H-1B inside the US. They can re-enter the US on their H-1B and not be fined.

The Proclamation applies to new H-1B petitions filed at or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025, on behal...