Federal Judge Upholds Trump’s $100,000 Fee for H-1B Visas

Two groups had argued the president lacked legal authority to change the fee.

A U.S. flag and a H-1B visa application form in this illustration taken on Sept. 22, 2025. Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters

A federal district court ruled on Dec. 23 that President Donald Trump has legal authority to raise the fee for H-1B visas for employees in specialty occupations to $100,000.

Before the change, the fee was between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the size of the employer.