US President Donald Trump's $100,000 H-1B fee will not apply to international students changing their status from F-1 to H-1B within the U.S., according to updated USCIS guidance issued October 20.

While the fee still targets offshore-heavy filings, particularly by major IT firms, students and employers inside the U.S. can now breathe easier. Advertisement

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) clarified that the $100,000 fee introduced by the Trump administration’s September 19 proclamation applies only in narrowly defined circumstances—and does not affect change-of-status petitions for individuals already in the U.S.

Effective from 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 21, 2025, the fee only applies to:

New H-1B petitions for foreign nationals currently outside the U.S. who lac

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