Three US visa proposals close for comment this week: $70,000 OPT fee (Nov 9), end of H-1B 60-day grace period (Nov 10), no deference on extensions (Nov 13)

Comment windows close this week on three proposed US rules that could affect many Telugu students and workers in America. All three are DHS proposals; none is law yet.

1. OPT fee (comments close November 9)

• The school that recommends a student would pay $70,000 for the first OPT and $30,000 for each later one, including a STEM extension.
• DHS expects schools may pass the cost to students or employers.
• It would apply 60 days after a final rule, and not to OPT already approved.
• 194,554 F-1 students were authorised for OPT in 2024, up from 160,627 in 2023.

2. End of the 60-day grace period (November 10)

Workers who lose a job now have up to 60 days to find another. Under the proposal they would fall out of status the day after the job ends. It covers H-1B, L-1, O-1, TN and E workers and their dependants.

3. No deference to earlier approvals (November 13)

USCIS would stop relying on an earlier approval with the same facts when deciding an extension. Remunance reports this would affect about 208,429 petitions a year and add about 6,044 requests for evidence.