To: H-1B e-newsletter 

October 6, 2012


Some people just can't keep a secret. :-)  Of course, it's not much of a
secret in this case, and presumably the events will occur no matter who
wins the presidency.

Indeed, there is always the possibility of "stealth" legislation during
Congress' lame duck session.

Norm

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/pmtoinavigation/16639875.cms

US to review H-1B visa fee hike after elections

Oct 2, 2012, 03.47PM IST

NEW YORK: The United States has told India it was going to have a
broader relook at its visa regime, but this will have to await the
outcome of the US presidential election in November.

This was conveyed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Indian
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna when he raised the issue at their
bilateral meeting here Monday, according to official sources.

The US understood the Indian concern over the visa fee hike for
professionals and are going to have a broader relook at the issue after
the elections, she said. However, the review would not be India
specific. India has protested the 2010 visa fee hike for professionals,
which discriminates against Indian software companies that send
employees to America on short-term contracts.

The US had raised the H1B visa fee to $2,000 per visa application and
L1 by $2,700 per visa application to fund its enhanced costs on
securing border with Mexico under the Border Security Act.

The US Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010
increased the fees for H-1B and L-1 categories of visas for applicants
that employ more than 50 employees in the US or have more than 50 per
cent of their employees admitted on non-immigrant visas (called the
"50/50 rule").

As the US is the largest market for the Indian software exports, some
of the top Indian companies -- TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Mahindra Satyam
-- were affected by the US action on visa fee.