A Reddit post by an H-1B worker is offering fresh hope to Indian tech professionals stuck outside the United States. Many have been facing uncertainty due to confusion around the reported $100,000 visa fee rule.
The user claimed that USCIS has started approving certain H-1B petitions filed from outside the US. These approvals reportedly did not require the high fee, provided the applicant already had a valid and unexpired H-1B visa stamp.
According to the post, two such approvals were issued around May 10. Both applications were filed in late November 2025. They were processed under premium processing at the Nebraska Service Center.
The user also shared their personal experience of filing a petition from outside the US in October 2025. At that time, there was very little clarity on the rule, which created panic among H-1B holders abroad.
Many workers feared that even those with valid visas would have to pay the $100,000 fee. This uncertainty led to confusion and delays in decision-making among applicants and employers.
The user mentioned that a small group of H-1B workers stayed connected through online forums. They regularly shared updates about their cases. While one petition was withdrawn due to delays, others reportedly received approvals recently.
There is still no official confirmation from USCIS on this development. However, the reported approvals suggest a possible shift in how the rule is being applied. This has brought cautious optimism among affected workers.
