EMA Jaishankar, Marco Rubio to meet today amid H-1B visa fee hike concerns

EAM S Jaishankar meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio today in New York amid trade tensions and concerns over Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee hike. White House clarified it applies only to new petitions.

New York: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), officials confirmed.

They said the talks will continue efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and address differences that have emerged in recent months.

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This will be the third in-person meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio this year. Their last interaction was on July 1 during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington. Prior to that, they met in January, shortly after Rubio assumed office.

Monday’s dialogue is the first since relations between New Delhi and Washington came under strain over trade tariffs and India’s purchase of Russian oil. Tensions escalated after the US imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, effective August 27.

The meeting also coincides with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Washington, where he is leading trade negotiations.

Jaishankar’s engagement with Rubio is considered crucial in the backdrop of the Trump administration’s decision to hike the H-1B visa fee. The proclamation signed by President Trump raised the application fee for H-1B visas to $100,000, causing concern across the tech industry and creating uncertainty among workers dependent on the program.

In response to IANS queries, the White House clarified on Saturday that the fee is a “one-time charge” applicable only to new petitions, not to renewals or existing visa holders.

“This is a one-time fee that applies only to the petition. It applies only to new visas, not renewals or current visa holders. It will first apply in the upcoming lottery cycle,” a White House official said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also posted on X: “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside the country will not be charged $100,000 to re-enter. H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country.”