Panic on board: $100k H-1B visa fee triggers flight chaos in US among Indian travellers - watch

A wave of panic gripped Indian H-1B visa holders and applicants across the United States on Saturday, with scenes of chaos unfolding at airports after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing an unprecedented USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa petitions.At San Francisco International Airport, several Indian passengers allegedly disembarked from an Emirates flight just minutes before takeoff, fearing they might not be able to return to the US if they left. The flight was reportedly delayed for over three hours as ground staff scrambled to manage the sudden exits.Videos circulating on X and Instagram, though not independently verified by TOI, showed a cabin packed with Indian nationals. Passengers could be seen in panic after news of the H-1B visa fee hike began spreading.“An international flight packed with Indians (coming for Durga Puja) from Bay Area had completed boarding & was due to leave SFO Airport, when the news about H-1B visa new rules just broke out. Indians aboard panicked, pleaded to get off the plane,” one X user posted.The proclamation has triggered widespread anxiety in the Indian diaspora. Several major US firms — including Microsoft, Amazon and JP Morgan — reportedly urged employees on H-1B visas to return to the US before September 21 or avoid international travel altogether to prevent potential visa complications.Currently, the cost of filing an H-1B petition ranges between USD 2,000 and 5,000, depending on employer size and other factors. Trump’s order has raised it to a staggering USD 100,000 for new petitions, a move experts say could devastate Indian professionals and companies that rely heavily on the visa programme.The H-1B visa, particularly popular among Indian tech workers, is typically issued for three years and renewable for another three years.