Filipino H-1B visa holders already in US not affected by new fees - DFA

MANILA, September 25 ------ The Department of Foreign Affairs assured the public that the new visa fees of certain nonimmigrant workers to the United States will not affect Filipinos who are already in the US.

In a statement, the DFA said only 1.3 percent of all H-1B visa holders are Filipinos, and those who are already in the US will not be affected by the new fees. Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that attaches a new annual $100,000 fee to H-1B visa applications as his administration continues in its efforts to tighten immigration policy.

The visa program is meant for highly skilled workers to lawfully work in the US for a limited period of three years. The DFA, however, advised Filipinos holding H-1B visas to avoid leaving the US until the rules on re-entry have been clarified. "We strongly advise our kababayans on H-1B visas to avoid unnecessary travel outside of the US for the time being, until the rules on re-entry are fully clarified. Should travel outside the US be unavoidable, we encourage them to consult their employers in advance, as employers may be required to shoulder additional costs, such as the one-time fee of USD 100,000, when facilitating their employee’s re-entry,” DFA added.

The DFA also said the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Consulates General across the US are closely monitoring the implementation of the policy and will continue to provide guidance and assistance to the Filipino community. US tech companies have routinely used the visa program to bring in workers, with India and China having so far accounted for the biggest beneficiaries of the program.

In 2025, over 70% of approved beneficiaries under the program came from India. Every year, a limited number of 85,000 visas are offered under two categories. Currently, visa applicants pay a small fee to enter a lottery, and if an application is selected, another fee is paid to formally process the application.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com