Video: Chaos at San Francisco airport as Trump's visa-fee hike forces Indian passengers to flee Emirates flight

Chaos erupted at San Francisco International Airport when several Indian passengers aboard an Emirates flight bound for India abruptly disembarked moments before takeoff, causing a three-hour delay.

The panic followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a staggering $100,000 application fee for the H-1B work visa.

A passenger shared a video on social media showing a tense atmosphere onboard, with some standing in the aisles and others anxiously scrolling through their phones, uncertain about the flight’s departure.

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In one clip, the Emirates captain addressed the situation, telling passengers they could choose to leave the aircraft amid the “unprecedented” circumstances.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to offload yourselves, please do so,” the captain said.

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The announcement came after President Trump signed an order aimed at reforming the H-1B visa programme, which he criticised for being exploited to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign labour rather than supplementing the workforce.

Following the visa fee hike announcement, major tech companies such as Microsoft and Meta quickly responded, urging their H-1B visa holders outside the US to return within 24 hours to avoid re-entry issues. Both companies also advised employees in the US to remain until the new regulations are fully understood.

However, the White House later clarified that the $100,000 fee would be a one-time charge applying only to new visa applicants, not renewals or current holders. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “This is NOT an annual fee. It applies only to new visas.”