Washington, August 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has broadened the scope of an existing $4,000 fee on certain H-1B petitions and a $4,500 fee on L-1 petitions, bringing some visa extension applications filed by the same employer under the charges.
The final rule will take effect on September 9 and could raise recurring immigration costs for companies that rely heavily on foreign professionals.
The expanded fee requirement applies to employers with at least 50 employees in the US, provided more than half of their American workforce collectively holds H-1B, L-1A or L-1B status. Such employers will have to pay the 9/11 Response and Biometric Entry-Exit Fee whenever they file an extension of status petition for a covered employee.
Previously, the fee generally applied to petitions involving initial employment or a change of employer. Extensions filed by the same employer for the same worker were generally not subject to the charge when the separate fraud-prevention fee did not apply.
DHS said the regulatory change reflects what it considers the correct interpretation of the relevant law and does not increase the existing fee amounts. Employers will continue to pay $4,000 for qualifying H-1B petitions and $4,500 for qualifying L-1 petitions. Amended petitions that do not request an extension of authorised status will remain exempt.
The department also clarified that the fee is the employer’s responsibility and cannot be shifted to the visa holder.
The move could have an indirect impact on Indian technology professionals and other skilled foreign workers if employers reconsider the cost of repeated visa extensions. However, DHS rejected concerns that the expanded fee could discourage companies from retaining H-1B workers or reduce legal immigration.
The department estimates that the broader collection will generate an additional $37.9 million for the US government in fiscal 2026 and $40 million in fiscal 2027.
DHS said the change is intended to support the country’s biometric entry-exit system, including facial-comparison technology used at US ports of entry and exit.
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