Indian companies to pay higher H1B visa fee

Indian companies, according to Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, will have to pay an additional fees of $4,000 for certain H1B and $4,500 for L-1 petitioners, details published on Friday by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said.

The law, signed by U.S. President Barack Obama in December 2015, increased fees for certain H1B and L-1 petitioners, USCIS said in a statement published on its website.

The fees is applicable on the companies employing 50 or more employees in the U.S., with more than 50 per cent of those employees in H1B or L (including L-1A and L-1B) non-immigrant status.

It is in addition to the base processing fee, Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 fee (when required) and the premium processing fee, if applicable.

The USCIS may begin rejecting petitions received on or after February 11 this year that do not complete Section 1 of the H1B and H1B1 Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement and the L Classification Supplement.

The H1B visa allows U.S. employers to recruit foreign professionals in speciality occupations while L-1 visas are available to employees of an international company with offices in both the U.S. and abroad.