The recent immigration policy changes made by the Donald Trump administration are likely to significantly affect the nearly 4.8 million Indian Americans residing in the United States. These changes include ending automatic extensions of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), increasing H-1B visa fees, and tightening the citizenship process for Green Card holders.
The Department of Homeland Security has discontinued automatic EAD extensions, a policy initiated during Biden’s term. This change now requires foreign workers on non-immigrant visas to undergo a fresh review when applying for work permit renewals. Many Indian H-1B holders have spouses on H-4 visas who depend on EADs. Without automatic renewals, delays in processing could result in temporary job losses, as renewals can take 7 to 10 months.
In addition, Green Card holders aiming to become U.S. citizens must now clear a more challenging version of the civics test starting October 20, 2025. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will introduce this test to ensure applicants have a solid grasp of English and knowledge of American history and governance.
Furthermore, the H-1B visa application fee has been hiked to USD 100,000 annually. These visas allow U.S. companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, with about 75% of recipients being Indian nationals. However, the new fee does not apply to those seeking to change their visa status or extend their stay.
These policy shifts are intended to protect U.S. workers but may pose challenges for Indian professionals and their families living in America.
