Published on, Sept. 21 -- September 21, 2025 3:27 PM

Thousands of foreign professionals on H-1B visas scrambled to return to the United States after President Donald Trump announced steep new visa fees, sparking panic, confusion, and urgent travel changes. Tech companies and banks sent late-night memos warning employees abroad to fly back before a deadline, fearing they could be barred from re-entering. The sudden order, announced Friday, was widely seen as part of Trump's broader crackdown on legal immigration and immediately set off alarm bells in Silicon Valley.

Although a White House official clarified on Saturday that the order applied only to new applicants and not existing visa holders or renewals, the confusion had already disru...