The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed an additional fee of USD 103,265 for all H-1B visa cap-subject applications, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption. This new fee aims to recover interagency costs for immigration programmes and would be paid in addition to existing fees. The proposal is open for public comments for 30 days and has drawn criticism from immigration advocates.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule to eliminate the 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders and other nonimmigrants after job loss, a move expected to significantly impact Indian technology workers.
A Delhi court has extended the permission for US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals to remain outside India until February 24 next year in a Myanmar arms training case. The NIA sought more time for investigation, while VanDyke, who appeared in person, questioned the case's continuation and cited financial difficulties.
A Delhi court has granted default bail to US national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, who was arrested in connection with an NIA case involving a drone warfare training camp linked to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. The bail was granted on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, with conditions to remain in Delhi and cooperate with the investigation. The NIA's chargesheet did not invoke UAPA provisions, instead citing the Immigration and Foreigners Act, leading to the default bail.
A Delhi court has granted default bail to US national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, who was arrested in a terror-conspiracy case being probed by the National Investigation Agency, amidst ongoing investigations into potential UAPA offences.
Delhi Police have detained six foreign nationals, including five Nigerians and one from Ivory Coast, for allegedly residing in India without valid visa documents.
The H-1B visa once symbolised the American Dream for Indians, but today's students are increasingly asking whether they need America at all. In 1995, the question was: How do I get to America? In 2026, it may be: Do I need to?
A Delhi court has granted default bail to six Ukrainian nationals arrested in connection with an NIA probe into a drone-warfare training camp linked to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, after the agency failed to file a chargesheet under UAPA within the stipulated time.
A Delhi court has granted default bail to six Ukrainian nationals arrested in connection with an NIA probe into a drone-warfare training camp linked to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. The court also discharged them from Immigration and Foreigners Act charges after the FRRO compounded the offences with a fine. The NIA's UAPA probe is ongoing, with a supplementary chargesheet possible.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against seven foreign nationals, including a US citizen and six Ukrainians, for illegal entry and alleged terror conspiracy with ethnic armed groups, though the stringent UAPA anti-terror law was not invoked at this stage.
The controversy surrounding actor Imran Khan's participation in a Mumbai protest, and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's demand for his deportation, raises critical questions about the legal rights of Overseas Citizen of India cardholders to engage in political dissent and the grounds for their expulsion from India.
India-US ties may be strained, but abandoning the relationship is not the answer; India must deal with Washington firmly without becoming either servile or hostile, asserts Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
Two Indian-origin individuals, Pritesh Walia, a jazz guitarist, and Venkata Vasamsetty, a green-card holder grandmother, have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in separate cases, highlighting the Trump administration's intensified deportation and enforcement drive.
Delhi Police arrested ten Bangladeshi nationals for illegally staying in India after their medical visas expired. They were apprehended during a verification drive and deportation proceedings have begun.
Usha Vedasalam completed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra just a week before the devastating floods in Nepal. This is her account of the pilgrimage.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha was not too keen to discuss it on Thursday but finally conceded he was very happy his mother had obtained a U.S. visa and would be able to watch him play against Uruguay in the World Cup this weekend.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
The Donald Trump administration has clarified that the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas does not apply to current visa holders and is a one-time payment only for new petitions.
The US has expanded its review of social media and online presence to cover all H-1B speciality occupation workers and their H-4 dependents, the US embassy in India said on December 10.
'You are a guest in the US. It's not your home, you're a guest. If they don't feel comfortable, you have to step out.'
The Trump administration has announced a massive increase in H-1B visa fees, imposing a $100,000 annual charge that will fundamentally alter how American companies hire skilled foreign workers, particularly impacting Indian IT professionals who comprise the largest group of beneficiaries.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarifies President Trump's stance on H-1B visas, emphasizing his priority for American workers while acknowledging the need for skilled foreign workers to train them in specialized industries.
The US President said that companies have to bring people to "get those plants opened, we want you to do that, and we want those people to teach our people how to make computer chips and how to make other things."
Indian-American executive Srini Gopalan has been appointed chief executive officer of telecom operator T-Mobile, amid ongoing debates over H-1B visa policies. Gopalan's appointment, effective from November 1, 2025, comes as US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a staggering $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, triggering widespread panic, concern and fear among Indian professionals on work visa.
Nineteen United States states have sued the Trump administration over its 'unlawful' decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, warning that the move will worsen labour shortages in key sectors such as health care, education and technology.
If the Indian government is indeed serious about reversing brain drain, it needs to put much more emphasis on research and innovation, especially in areas that will determine the future, asserts Prosenjit Datta.
India has launched two special category visa for international students intending to pursue higher education in academic institutions in the country.
Immigration attorneys and companies are advising H-1B visa holders to return to the US immediately due to concerns over President Trump's plan to impose a USD 100,000 fee on the work visas.
In a huge relief for H-1B visa holders, a White House-backed bipartisan deal has been unveiled under which automatic work authorisation would be granted to about 100,000 H-4 visa holders, who are spouses and children of a certain category of H-1B visa holders. The National Security Agreement that was announced on Sunday after long negotiations between the Republican and the Democratic leadership in the US Senate also provides a solution to about 250,000 aged-out children of H-1B visa holders. The move comes as good news for hundreds and thousands of Indian technology professionals who are waiting in a painstakingly long wait for a Green Card, in the absence of which their spouses cannot work and their aged-out children face the threat of deportation.
The legislation is aimed at streamlining various services related to immigration and foreigners, including their entry, exit and stay in India.
Trump also said that he has also used the H-1B visa programme.
US Vice President JD Vance leads a delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran, expressing optimism while warning against bad faith negotiations from Tehran.
Elon Musk, who has previously vowed to "go to war" to defend the H-1B visa program, has reignited debate surrounding the program by labeling it "broken" and in urgent need of "major reform." Musk, along with Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tapped by Trump to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While Musk acknowledges the need for foreign workers in the tech industry, he believes the current H-1B system needs significant changes, including raising the minimum salary and adding a yearly cost for maintaining the visa. The H-1B visa, which allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, has been a subject of debate for years. The tech industry advocates for more H-1B visas to attract highly skilled workers, while some argue that it allows businesses to replace Americans with lower-paid foreign workers.
Mr Trump's actions, because of their extreme nature and the dangerous rhetoric that accompanies them, receive the most attention, points out Mihir S Sharma.
'We kept our bags packed, ready to jump into the sea. Many times, I felt it could be my last day.'
US lawmakers have expressed concerns that policies enacted by the Trump administration, such as the H1B visa fee and tariffs on India, are detrimental to American businesses and threaten the relationship between the United States and India.
A Delhi Police constable has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a racket producing fake Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs). The investigation uncovered a network charging individuals for forged documents, highlighting concerns about corruption and security.
The US has received sufficient number of applications needed to reach the Congressionally mandated 65,000 H1-B visa cap for the fiscal year 2023, the country's federal agency for immigration services said on Tuesday. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
Due to the huge pile-up of visa applications, the US consular officers in the neighbouring country are now adjudicating Indian visa applications where interview requirements have been waived.
'Brazil, China, Colombia and India each had more than 2,000 of their citizens overstaying student/exchange visas, with India having the highest number (7,000).'
