Passengers on an India-bound Emirates flight experienced panic at San Francisco International Airport after US President Donald Trump announced a $100,000 application fee for the H-1B visa on Friday. Several Indian passengers reportedly got off the plane before take-off, causing a three-hour delay.

Videos shared on social media show passengers standing in aisles, scrolling through phones, and looking unsure about whether the flight would depart.

In one video, the captain addresses passengers, saying: "Ladies and gentlemen, it's the captain speaking. Due to the current circumstances, which are unprecedented for us here at Emirates, we are aware that a number of passengers do not wish to travel with us, and that's perfectly fine. All we ask is that if you wish to offload yourself, you do so."

An Instagram user described the scene as chaotic: "It was complete chaos for Emirates passengers at San Francisco Airport this Friday morning. President Trump signed an order affecting both new and existing H1B visa holders, creating panic among many, particularly Indian passengers, who even chose to leave the aircraft."

The passenger added that the plane was stuck on the tarmac for over three hours waiting for take-off.

Following the visa fee announcement, major tech companies like Microsoft and Meta urged their H-1B employees to remain in the US.

Internal emails accessed by NDTV Profit show Meta advising H-1B visa and H4 holders to stay in the US for at least two weeks while practical applications of the new rule are understood. Employees currently outside the US were asked to return within 24 hours.

Microsoft similarly asked employees in the US to remain, and those outside the country to do their best to return to avoid re-entry issues.

The White House later clarified that the $100,000 H-1B fee would be a one-time charge for new applicants only, not an annual fee, and would not affect current visa holders or renewals.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on social media: "This is NOT an annual fee. It's a one-time fee that applies only to new visas, not renewals, and not current visa holders."

President Trump had earlier defended the fee increase, saying the H-1B program was “deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labour.”