New Delhi, Aug. 10 -- Indian professionals working in the United States on H-1B and L-1 visas could be indirectly affected by higher immigration costs after the US expanded an existing fee to cover certain visa extension petitions filed by large employers.

Under rules published by the US government on Monday (August 10), eligible employers will have to pay a $4,000 fee (approx. Rs.3.68 lakh) for H-1B extensions and $4,500 (approx. Rs.4.2 lakh) for L-1 extensions. The new requirement will take effect on September 9.

The fees will be paid by employers rather than visa holders. However, the change could have a significant impact on Indian professionals because Indian IT services and consulting companies are major users of the H-1B and L-1 ...