Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 22: US Congressman Ami Bera has slammed the recent hike in H-1B visa fees to $100,000, calling it a “poorly thought through policy” that caught both the US Congress and American officials by surprise. The decision, announced on September 19, has sparked concern among policymakers and the IT industry.

Bera, part of a five-member US Congressional delegation visiting India at the invitation of the Ministry of External Affairs, said he plans to raise the issue during the week-long visit to Delhi and Mumbai. The delegation will hold discussions with officials from the MEA and the Commerce Ministry, as well as business and industry leaders, to relay concerns about the potential impact of the visa fee hike.

The move comes amid fears that such a steep increase in H-1B fees could slow Indian IT services exports and disrupt traditional models of on-site project delivery in the United States, prompting diplomatic and industry-level discussions on mitigating its effects.