Is there any way to reach the US before Donald Trump’s $100K H-1B fee hits? Here's what we know

As panic sets in over Trump’s surprise $100,000 H-1B visa fee, Indian tech workers are scrambling to get back into the U.S.—but time has officially run out. The fastest available flights from India now arrive after the rule takes effect, leaving thousands stranded and anxious.

In the chaos unleashed by the Trump administration’s abrupt H-1B visa crackdown, Indian H-1B workers are discovering a harsh reality: even the fastest flights from India can no longer beat the clock.

The new rule—imposing a $100,000 annual fee per H-1B petition—kicks in at 12:00 AM EDT on September 21 (9:30 AM IST). That deadline has sparked mass confusion and last-minute travel attempts, as visa holders try to reenter the U.S. before facing financial and legal uncertainty.

At San Francisco International Airport, flights descended into chaos. “An international flight packed with Indians from the Bay Area had completed boarding,” CA Kaustav Majumdar posted on X. “When the news broke… Indians aboard panicked, pleaded to get off the plane.”

A WhatsApp message shared by market expert Ajay Bagga described the scene on an Emirates flight to Mumbai: “About 10-15 passengers disembarking… Cabin is like an Indian train. Crazy.”

But for those already in India, reentry is now mathematically impossible.

The fastest direct flights from Delhi to New York—such as Air India’s AI 105—take 15 hours 38 minutes. Even if someone boarded immediately, no flight departing after early September 20 can arrive in the U.S. before the September 21 deadline. Most of these flights land around 6:30–7:30 AM EDT on September 21—hours too late.

Amazon and Microsoft both issued urgent internal memos advising H-1B and H-4 visa holders to stay in the U.S. or return immediately. “We recommend all H-1B and H-4 visa holders return to the U.S. before 12:00 AM EDT on September 21,” Microsoft stated.

The window has closed.

“There are no feasible routes left,” confirmed travel aggregators. Flight schedules from trip.com and wego.com show that even the quickest, most direct options now fall outside the safe zone.

For H-1B workers caught abroad—many visiting for Durga Puja or family events—the timing couldn’t be worse.