US Visa Fee Increase Causes Chaos: Flight Fares Rise, Passengers Flee Planes

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In a shocking and unilateral decision, US President Donald Trump has increased the H-1B visa fee to $100,000 (approximately Rs 8.8 million). This new rule, which will come into effect tomorrow, September 21st, has created chaos and panic at airports around the world. Indian IT professionals have been the most affected by this decision, forcing them to buy tickets at any cost to return to the US.

According to the new policy, all H-1B visa holders must enter the US before 9:31 am IST on September 21st. Those entering after this deadline will have to pay a new fee of $100,000. Following this announcement, one-way fares for flights from Delhi to New York, which had been ₹37,000 just hours earlier, have risen to ₹70,000-₹80,000. Some passengers have reported purchasing tickets for up to ₹3.7 lakh on social media.

Unprecedented chaos at airports

Following Trump's 'order', unprecedented scenes are being witnessed at airports. A prime example of this was witnessed at San Francisco Airport, where several Indian passengers disembarked from a flight leaving the US, fearing they would not be able to return, leaving the plane stranded on the runway for three hours. A similar scene was witnessed on a Dubai-Mumbai flight, when around 15 Indian professionals, in a hurry to return to the US, disembarked mid-air. Meanwhile, those who had come to India for holidays or work are now stranded due to their inability to return before the deadline, putting their careers and futures at stake.

Major companies have issued advisories

Given the severity of the situation, major American companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and JPMorgan have advised their H-1B visa-holding employees not to leave the United States immediately. Furthermore, employees currently abroad have been asked to return immediately. This decision has directly impacted Indian professionals and their families, creating an atmosphere of panic and confusion.