The White House has clarified that its new H-1B visa policy stipulates that the fee of $100,000 is a “one-time” payment and is imposed only on new applicants. Earlier, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had stated that the fee would be paid annually and would apply to both new visas and renewals. This should come as some relief to the IT industry, the government, and people in India, as over two-thirds of H-1B visa holders are Indian nationals. US President Donald Trump is unrelenting in targeting India, notwithstanding the reported signs of thaw in Indo-US ties, and his latest friendly interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the final analysis, while the White House clarification on the H-1B fee provides a brief respite, the broader trajectory remains troubling.