Rohan Mehta - not his real name - spent over $8,000 (£5,900) on flights in his scramble to get back to the US ahead of a deadline that would dramatically increase visa fees for some. He had been in Nagpur, India for the anniversary of his father's death before he cut his trip short. On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order adding a $100,000 (£74,000) fee for applicants to the visa programme for skilled foreign workers which US-based companies would have to pay.
Companies and immigration lawyers had already advised those on the H-1B visa who were outside the US to return before the order came into force Sunday.
A day later, the White House clarified it would be a one-time fee and would not apply to current visa holders, but it was too late for some.
Workers from India receive by far the most skilled visas in the programme, at more than 70% of the 85,000 issued each year. Despite the clarification, concern and confusion had already spread. Rohan Mehta, a software professional, has lived in the US with his family for 11 years but had travelled to Nagpur at the beginning of the month to see relatives commemorating his father's death. However, on September 20, he feared he would not be able to return to his home if he did not get back before the deadline. He spent over $8,000 in eight hours booking and rebooking return flights to the US.
Rohan described the last few days as 'traumatic' adding he was glad his wife and daughter had not come to India with him. 'I'm regretting the choices I've made in life. I gave the prime of my youth to working for this country [the US] and now I feel like I'm not wanted.' The H-1B visa program allows employers to sponsor professionals in specialized fields. According to government statistics, the greatest beneficiary of the program the previous fiscal year was Amazon, followed by tech giants Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google.
Companies and immigration lawyers had already advised those on the H-1B visa who were outside the US to return before the order came into force Sunday.
A day later, the White House clarified it would be a one-time fee and would not apply to current visa holders, but it was too late for some.
Workers from India receive by far the most skilled visas in the programme, at more than 70% of the 85,000 issued each year. Despite the clarification, concern and confusion had already spread. Rohan Mehta, a software professional, has lived in the US with his family for 11 years but had travelled to Nagpur at the beginning of the month to see relatives commemorating his father's death. However, on September 20, he feared he would not be able to return to his home if he did not get back before the deadline. He spent over $8,000 in eight hours booking and rebooking return flights to the US.
Rohan described the last few days as 'traumatic' adding he was glad his wife and daughter had not come to India with him. 'I'm regretting the choices I've made in life. I gave the prime of my youth to working for this country [the US] and now I feel like I'm not wanted.' The H-1B visa program allows employers to sponsor professionals in specialized fields. According to government statistics, the greatest beneficiary of the program the previous fiscal year was Amazon, followed by tech giants Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google.
