In a transfer that has set off alarm bells amongst Indian professionals, United States President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation imposing an annual payment of $100,000 on H-1B visa functions. Following the announcement, the Indian Embassy in Washington on Saturday launched an emergency help quantity for Indian nationals in want of fast assist.
“Indian nationals looking for emergency help might name cell quantity +1-202-550-9931 (and WhatsApp). This quantity must be used solely by Indian nationals looking for fast emergency help and never for routine consular queries,” the Embassy said in a publish on X.
The measure has raised critical issues relating to its implications on Indian tech professionals and the stream of remittances, with practically 71 per cent of all H-1B visas being granted to Indian residents.
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In search of to calm nerves, a senior official from the US administration clarified that the steep payment would apply solely to contemporary H-1B visa petitions and to not current holders or these looking for renewals.
In an unique response to IANS, the White Home on Saturday mentioned that it’s a “one-time payment” that applies solely to new visas and never renewals or present visa holders.
“This can be a one-time payment that applies solely to the petition. It solely applies to new visas, not renewals or present visa holders. It’s going to first apply within the upcoming lottery cycle,” a White Home official advised IANS.
In the meantime, the Indian authorities has instructed all its Missions and Posts to supply each doable help to Indian nationals who’re scheduled to return to the USA within the subsequent 24 hours.
The Ministry of Exterior Affairs additionally took notice of the event, stating that it’s fastidiously inspecting the far-reaching adjustments launched to the H-1B visa programme, significantly the newly imposed annual payment.
The ministry expressed concern that the transfer may lengthen past monetary ramifications and set off humanitarian challenges for households.
“The Authorities has seen studies associated to the proposed restrictions on the US H-1B visa program. The total implications of the measure are being studied by all involved, together with by Indian business, which has already put out an preliminary evaluation clarifying some perceptions associated to the H-1B program,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned.
The spokesperson additional cautioned that the step introduced by Trump is prone to resonate past enterprise circles.
“The total implications are being studied by all involved, together with the Indian business, and the measure is prone to have humanitarian penalties by the use of the disruption precipitated for households,” he added.
