India, Sept. 22 -- The White House issued sweeping clarifications on Sunday about President Donald Trump's H-1B visa overhaul, contradicting earlier official statements and resolving a weekend of panic that triggered emergency advisories for employees to return to the US and soaring flight prices.

The $100,000 H-1B visa fee will not be an annual charge and applies only to new applications in upcoming lottery cycles, Washington clarified.

Immigration agencies also confirmed that existing H-1B holders remain free to travel internationally without paying the new fee to re-enter the United States - directly contradicting the strict interpretation from the proclamation of Trump's executive order that sparked weekend chaos.

The clarification...