White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued the clarification and wrote on X: "This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition."

She further said: " Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country right now will NOT be charged $100,000 to re-enter."

In her clarification, she further said: "H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would; whatever ability they have to do that is not impacted by yesterday’s proclamation."

She said the rule will only apply to new applicants and not in the case of renewals or current visa holders.

"It will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle," she said.

US President Donald Trump has signed a petition that will impose $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas.

The announcement sparked a strong reaction from the tech world, with a large number of Indian professionals applying for it every year.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) further clarified that the new rule will not apply to petitions filed before September 21.

 The USCIS wrote on X: "President Trump’s new H-1B visa requirement applies only to NEW, prospective petitions that have not yet been filed." "Petitions submitted prior to September 21, 2025 are not affected," the X post said.