Amrutha Tamanam was in India last week on paid leave when her boss in the US messaged her about President Donald Trump’s new rule of a $100,000 H-1B visa fee. The tech worker, who has built a life for herself in the US over the past decade, suddenly found herself urgently looking for flights. She feared she might get locked out of the country she has long called home.
In an interview with NDTV, Tamanam shared that she spent about $2,000 (roughly Rs 1,65,000) for a one-way flight to Dallas. She quickly rebooked an earlier flight to make sure she got back to the US before Trump’s new visa order took effect. “My original round trip was around $900,” she said.
How Indian techie tackle with H-1B Visa deadline
Tamanam’s experience that many Indian professionals who have established lives in the US after entering the country on skilled visas. She described the chaos and confusion that spread in her life after Trump’s announcement on Friday. “I have a valid I-797 (a document issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services) until 2028.
I have my visa, which is also valid until 2028. I have an approved form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers)… I thought I had all the documents I needed. So, I decided to wait until my actual travel date, which was on September 27. But when I saw messages flooding in the WhatsApp groups, I panicked,” she said. “I tried reaching out to a couple of lawyers… They said, If you have a chance to return, come back.”
Will trump administration change immigration rules
Tamanam hopes that the Trump administration will change the immigration rules again and lower the visa fee. Otherwise, it could mean “the end of the H-1B program.” “I have friends who paid less than $100,000. So, if they are not even earning that much, how can an employer pay that amount for each person’s entry? That was a huge amount,” she added. The Indian tech worker worries for her future in the US, where she has built her entire life over the past 13 years.