India, Sept. 22 -- The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released an H-1B visa FAQ stating that a payment of $100,000 will be required for new H-1B visa petitions submitted after 12:01 am EDT (9:31 am IST) on September 21, 2025. This applies to the 2026 lottery as well as any other H-1B petitions filed after that time.

In an H-1B FAQ released on September 21, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that this proclamation is an important step to reform the H-1B visa programme and to "curb abuses and protect American workers."

The FAQ document stated that a payment of $100,000 should be made to accompany any new H-1B visa application submitted after 12:01 am Eastern Daylight Time on September 21. Th...