Indian Embassy Issues Emergency Helpline Amid New H-1B Visa Fee

The Indian embassy in Washington has issued an emergency contact number following the United States’ abrupt decision to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, announced by President Donald Trump.

The move has caused widespread concern among professionals, particularly Indians, who account for nearly three-quarters of the 85,000 H-1B visas allocated annually through a lottery system.

Embassy issues emergency line

To address the immediate confusion, the Indian embassy released a dedicated number for emergency assistance: +1-202-550-9931 (call and WhatsApp). The embassy stressed that the line is strictly for emergencies and not for routine consular queries.

Global firms and IT industry react

The sudden policy shift prompted multinational companies, many of which rely heavily on Indian talent, to advise their employees abroad to return to the US and avoid potential disruptions.

Nasscom, representing India’s $283 billion IT and outsourcing sector, warned the new H-1B visa fee would have major implications for Indian nationals and disrupt global operations of technology firms.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also weighed in, saying the move could have “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families” and urged US authorities to mitigate the fallout.

Clarifications from the White House

The White House issued key clarifications to ease growing concerns:

• The $100,000 charge is a one-time fee, not annual.
• It will not apply to current H-1B visa holders renewing or re-entering.
• The fee applies only in the next H-1B lottery round.
• Applications may be exempt on a case-by-case basis if deemed in the national interest.

The new visa fee is expected to create major uncertainty for Indian professionals in the US and beyond, raising questions over the future of skilled migration policies.

This article was previously published on UAE Moments. To see the original article, click here