US President Donald Trump's sudden move to raise the fee for H-1B visas to $100,000 (Rs 88 lakh) and a short implementation deadline of September 21 has sparked chaos at US airports, with reports of several Indian techies disembarking from aircraft as soon as the announcement was made.
Moreover, those stranded in India saw a massive jump in the cost of a direct flight to the US as airlines looked to cash in on the chaos unleashed by Trump. With Indians accounting for about 70% of all H-1B visa recipients, the move hits them harder.
The rules are clear – enter the US before 12.01 am EDT (9.31 am IST) on September 21. After that, no H-1B worker will be allowed to enter the US unless the sponsoring employer pays the $100,000 fee.
Top tech firms like Amazon, Microsoft, and JP Morgan have advised their employees holding H-1B visas not to leave the US. Those who are currently abroad have been asked to return to the United States immediately.
However, H-1B visa holders on a vacation or business trip to India have already missed the deadline.
"H-1B visa holders who are out of the US on business or vacation will get stranded unless they get in before midnight September 21. H-1Bs still in India may have already missed the deadline as there is no way a direct flight from India will get in time," said Cyrus Mehta, a US immigration attorney.
A one-way flight fare from New Delhi to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York jumped to Rs 5.40 lakh from around Rs 1 lakh within two hours of Trump's announcement.
"Flights from New Delhi to NYC are currently $4,500. They are all rushing back to the states because they are worried about the new H-1B visa rules, one user tweeted.
In US airports too, the impact among H-1B holders was visible. After learning about the September 21 deadline, several H-1B visa holders flying out of the US chose to disembark from the aircraft.
Describing the chaos at San Francisco airport, one social media user, Masud Rana, narrated how his Emirates flight was held up for over three hours.
"It was complete chaos for Emirates passengers at San Francisco airport. President Trump signed an order affecting both new and existing H-1B visa holders, creating panic among many – particularly Indian passengers – who even chose to leave the aircraft," Rana posted.
