United States, 3rd September: Hike in US H1B, L Category visa fee will continue to stay.
This has been affirmed by the US Officials in a latest move.
The US hinted out that it will not be slashing the fee hike for US H1B and L category visas. this is keeping in view the growing demand for these US visa categories. As per the US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Michele Bond, there is no drop in demand for these US visa categories. The recent US visa fee hike was actually a congressional step, she added.
“ The Hike in US H1B, L Category Visa fee shall continue, affirmed the US officials recently. “
Indians get 70 percent of US H1B visas—Indians happen to be among the highest recipients of US H1B visas. As per the official records, nearly 70 percent of US H1B visas are granted to Indian applicants. This becomes evident from the US official records.
Nearly one lakh Indian applicants were granted US H1B visas between the period October 2013 and September 2015. Apart from US H1B visas, US L visas are also granted to nearly 30 percent of Indian applicants. The official figures for US L visas suggest so.
It may be worth mentioned that the US Congress had introduced a special fee of up to $4,500 for US H1B and L1 visas. This was announced by the US last year. Indian IT companies are the biggest users of US H1B and L1 visas. The new fee for US H1B visas and L1 visas was aimed to fund the biometric tracking system and a 9/11 Healthcare Act.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has termed the US H1B and L1 visa fee hike as nothing but discriminatory.
No drop in Indian applicants for US H1B visas—It needs to be worth notable that there has been no decline in the number of Indian applicants for US H1B visas despite the fee hike. Still, India is the highest recipient of US H1B visas. this was confirmed by the US officials.