Current H-1B Visa Holders, Renewals Exempt From $100,000 Fee: White House

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that a new $100,000 visa fee ‘applies only to new visas, not renewals [or] current holders.’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C, on Aug. 28, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The White House on Saturday clarified that a plan to charge a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applicants will apply only to new visas after an executive proclamation on Friday caused confusion for many current H-1B visa holders.

“This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one time fee that applies only to the petition [for a visa]. ... This applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current holders,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote in a Sept. 20 post on X.