'A lot of panic': Lawyers race to decipher Trump's H-1B visa fees

"A White House order on H-1B visas has sent immigration and employment lawyers scrambling for answers. Uncertainty over the scope of the order, which imposes a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applicants, led many lawyers - and some major employers - to advise visa holders outside the US to return before the fee was set to go into effect on Sunday. Attorneys told Business Insider they struggled to advise clients amid the confusion caused by the sudden order, which was announced at the end of the day on Friday and which they said lacked details."

"A White House official told Business Insider on Saturday that the visa changes will only affect new applicants, though the executive order issued Friday evening does not clearly state that, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initially said it would include current visa holders. In a Saturday afternoon post on X, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt further clarified that the fee would represent a one-time cost and that it wouldn't apply to current visa holders - and that those with visas who are outside the US wouldn't be charged to re-enter the US."

""There's a lot of panic by employers in myriad situations," Jason Finkelman, an immigration lawyer based in Austin who has clients throughout the US, told Business Insider. Finkelman said that beyond advising clients to get back to the US before Sunday, he has little concrete counsel to offer. "When you issue these vague executive orders, it causes chaos and confusion," Finkelman said."

An executive order imposes a $100,000 fee on H‑1B visa applicants, triggering widespread uncertainty about who will be affected. Lawyers and major employers advised visa holders outside the United States to return before the fee's planned effective date. Conflicting statements emerged: a White House official said the change would affect only new applicants, while a Commerce Secretary initially indicated current visa holders might be included. The White House press secretary later said the fee is one-time, will not apply to current visa holders, and will not prevent re-entry for those abroad. Attorneys predict legal challenges and face questions about payment mechanisms and potential refunds.

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