H-1B Visa Cost Raised to $100,000: Telugu Students Feel the Heat

US President Donald Trump’s decision to hike the application fee for companies sponsoring H-1B visas to $100,000 has come as a shock to Indians, who accounted for 71% of the total 85,000 H-1B visas approved in 2025.

Trump’s latest executive order has triggered panic among students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including those already pursuing higher studies in the United States and many who had planned to move there.

Telugu students stand to be among the most affected communities. Of the 3.3 lakh Indian students enrolled in U.S. universities in 2023, approximately 1.8 lakh were from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. According to the U.S. Consulate General, students from these two states accounted for a massive 56% of all Indian student visas issued that year.

Since Trump took charge as US President, anxiety has been rising among Indian students as he repeatedly tightens America’s immigration policies. The H-1B is a non-immigrant work visa that allows US companies to employ foreign professionals in specialty fields such as technology, engineering, medicine, finance, and research.

Issued for an initial three-year period and extendable to six, it enables employers to tap global talent for roles that are often hard to fill domestically.

With the proposed $100,000 application fee, the future of thousands of Telugu students who aspire to transition from students to employees and live the American dream now hangs in the balance.

Many choose US universities because they can work temporarily through Optional Practical Training (OPT) and then shift to an H-1B visa. If H-1B sponsorship becomes prohibitively expensive, fewer employers may sponsor fresh graduates, reducing the return on investment for students who bank on US work experience. Employers might restrict sponsorships to only very senior or “highly specialized” roles, making entry-level or mid-level positions economically unviable.

Trump’s order almost immediately drew strong reactions on social media.

Highlighting the dilemma students now face, one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “So USA indirectly banned H1B visas. As a Telugu guy, I know many students who took 40–50 lakhs loan & went to US for studies. Only option left for them is to come back to India with 50 lakhs loan. In 1 day, many lives changed from PROUD NRIs to POOR INDIANS with 50 lakhs loan.”

Another user warned, “The indirect restrictions on H1B visas highlight the risks associated with studying abroad on heavy loans. It’s crucial to weigh the financial implications and explore alternative pathways, including education closer to home or in countries with more supportive immigration policies."

Observing that India could benefit from the shift, one user commented, “Disastrous for some in the short term, but could be a boon if India capitalizes on it. Also, I don't expect it to last very long. Trump may soon realize it's a stupid idea.”

Another voice echoed the need for self-reliance: “This is exactly why over-reliance on the US is dangerous. A single policy flip can turn dreams into debt traps overnight. India must build opportunities at home so talent isn’t forced to gamble their future on a foreign visa system.”

Trump’s unprecedented proposal to raise the H-1B application fee threatens to upend the career plans of thousands of Indian students—especially those from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, who dominate the US-bound student population. If enacted, the policy could discourage employers from hiring fresh graduates, slash job opportunities for talented Indian professionals, and force many students to reconsider the financial risks of an American education.