'Like an Indian train': Panic on US flights after Trump admin's H-1B visa changes
The new H-1B visa rules, which reportedly bar reentry of existing holders and sharply raise visa costs for employers, appear to have triggered this unprecedented wave of last-minute cancellations.
- Sep 20, 2025,
- Updated Sep 20, 2025 5:25 PM IST
Confusion and panic broke out on several international flights departing the United States after the sudden announcement of new H-1B visa rules. Many Indian passengers, particularly H-1B visa holders and their families, chose to disembark at the last minute, leading to delays and chaos at airports.
CA Kaustav Majumdar, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), described the tense situation: "Extremely sad situation. 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 H1-B visa new rules just broke out. Indians aboard panicked, pleaded to get off the plane, but alas."
Adding to this, market expert Ajay Bagga shared a WhatsApp screenshot on X, calling the scene “genuine”. He wrote: "From WhatsApp but seems genuine: Last minute disembarkations happening in ex-US flights as H1-B visa holders cancel trips and stay put. 1 day notice for such a big change."
The WhatsApp message, purportedly from a passenger on an Emirates flight to Dubai/Mumbai, read: "Experiencing immediate effect of the H1B rules. Boarded Emirates flight to Dubai/Mumbai. Flight departure time 5.05 pm. Was held up because a passenger or family disembarked and they had to remove checked in luggage. Then looked ready to leave and another passenger disembarks. Another 20 minutes and saw about 10-15 passengers disembarking. Worried about reentry. Flight still on ground after 2 hours. Announcement from cabin crew saying if you wish to disembark please do so now. Cabin is like an Indian train. Crazy."
The sudden exodus of passengers has caused significant delays, with some flights grounded for hours as crew members worked to offload checked luggage of those refusing to travel.
The new H-1B visa rules, which reportedly bar reentry of existing holders and sharply raise visa costs for employers, appear to have triggered this unprecedented wave of last-minute cancellations.
Airlines are yet to issue official statements on the disruption, but aviation experts say the situation highlights the uncertainty faced by thousands of Indian professionals in the US.
Sweeping changes in H-1B
In a sweeping change announced on September 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation introducing an annual US$100,000 fee for companies sponsoring H-1B visas, effective September 21. Under the new rule, H-1B petitioners whose beneficiaries are outside the United States must include this fee with their petitions, or else their entry into the U.S. may be denied.
The proclamation also calls for revisions to “prevailing wage” requirements to ensure foreign workers are paid salaries comparable to US standards, and it gives authorities measures to prioritize high-skilled, high-paid H-1B workers.
Additionally, companies and legal experts are warning that H-1B visa holders outside the U.S. who do not return before the deadline risk being stranded or denied reentry under the new fee requirement. The administration says the changes are intended to protect American workers from job displacement and reduce abuses of the H-1B system, while critics argue they may severely restrict opportunities for many foreign professionals, particularly those in early stages of their careers.
Confusion and panic broke out on several international flights departing the United States after the sudden announcement of new H-1B visa rules. Many Indian passengers, particularly H-1B visa holders and their families, chose to disembark at the last minute, leading to delays and chaos at airports.
CA Kaustav Majumdar, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), described the tense situation: "Extremely sad situation. 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 H1-B visa new rules just broke out. Indians aboard panicked, pleaded to get off the plane, but alas."
Adding to this, market expert Ajay Bagga shared a WhatsApp screenshot on X, calling the scene “genuine”. He wrote: "From WhatsApp but seems genuine: Last minute disembarkations happening in ex-US flights as H1-B visa holders cancel trips and stay put. 1 day notice for such a big change."
The WhatsApp message, purportedly from a passenger on an Emirates flight to Dubai/Mumbai, read: "Experiencing immediate effect of the H1B rules. Boarded Emirates flight to Dubai/Mumbai. Flight departure time 5.05 pm. Was held up because a passenger or family disembarked and they had to remove checked in luggage. Then looked ready to leave and another passenger disembarks. Another 20 minutes and saw about 10-15 passengers disembarking. Worried about reentry. Flight still on ground after 2 hours. Announcement from cabin crew saying if you wish to disembark please do so now. Cabin is like an Indian train. Crazy."
The sudden exodus of passengers has caused significant delays, with some flights grounded for hours as crew members worked to offload checked luggage of those refusing to travel.
The new H-1B visa rules, which reportedly bar reentry of existing holders and sharply raise visa costs for employers, appear to have triggered this unprecedented wave of last-minute cancellations.
Airlines are yet to issue official statements on the disruption, but aviation experts say the situation highlights the uncertainty faced by thousands of Indian professionals in the US.
Sweeping changes in H-1B
In a sweeping change announced on September 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation introducing an annual US$100,000 fee for companies sponsoring H-1B visas, effective September 21. Under the new rule, H-1B petitioners whose beneficiaries are outside the United States must include this fee with their petitions, or else their entry into the U.S. may be denied.
The proclamation also calls for revisions to “prevailing wage” requirements to ensure foreign workers are paid salaries comparable to US standards, and it gives authorities measures to prioritize high-skilled, high-paid H-1B workers.
Additionally, companies and legal experts are warning that H-1B visa holders outside the U.S. who do not return before the deadline risk being stranded or denied reentry under the new fee requirement. The administration says the changes are intended to protect American workers from job displacement and reduce abuses of the H-1B system, while critics argue they may severely restrict opportunities for many foreign professionals, particularly those in early stages of their careers.