ALBAWABA - Chaos erupted on an Emirates plane heading to India from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) after reports revealed it was reportedly delayed for three hours due to the newly implemented $100,000 fees for H-1B visa holders in the US.
Indians on board left the plane after receiving a call from their employers. A video captured the incident in question, showing many concerned passengers on board the Emirates plane.
US President Donald Trump signed the "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers" proclamation on September 19, and it's set to take effect on September 21. The new policy sparked chaos among foreign workers, employers, and immigration lawyers, who urged H-1B visa holders to refrain from leaving the US.
For example, Mint reported that big tech companies such as Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Amazon urged their employees who hold an H1-B visa to remain in the US.
Panic spread as Trump’s administration didn't clarify whether the new policy applies to existing visa holders.
However, the White House later issued a statement clarifying the new policy and refuting fake claims. It outlined that the fees will only be applied to new foreign workers, not those who already hold an H-1B visa. Moreover, the statement added that the $100,000 fee will be a "one-time" payment.
Video: New $100k H-1B visa fee prompts Indian workers to leave plane
According to CNN, Trump said from the Oval Office, "We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X (formerly known as Twitter) in a post clarifying concerns. She wrote, "This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition."
She added, "H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country to the same extent as they normally would; whatever ability they have to do that is not impacted by yesterday’s proclamation," and that "It will first apply in the next upcoming lottery cycle."
