India, Oct. 21 -- In a major relief for existing U.S. visa holders, including thousands of Indian professionals and students, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has clarified that the controversial $100,000 H-1B visa fee imposed under a recent proclamation by the Donald Trump administration will not apply to those already in the United States.

The clarification addresses weeks of confusion following Team Trump's September 19 proclamation, which introduced the steep fee for employers filing new H-1B petitions.

What Team Trump said

In new guidance issued on October 20, the USCIS confirmed that the hefty fee would not apply to cases involving a change of status, such as F-1 international students transitioning ...