Quick Insights: Did you know that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that H-1B visa renewals will now be possible in the US itself? Keep reading to learn more about the steps taken in order to ease the norms for H1B visa holders.
The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign employees to work in the United States temporarily. It is designed to allow U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Many people apply for this visa every year, but it is limited to a certain number of slots.Every year, the US government issues 65,000 visas per fiscal year, with an additional 20,000 visas available for individuals with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution of higher education.
H-1B visas are normally issued for three years with an addition of three more years, which means that you can extend them up to six years.
Prior to 2004, specific categories of non-immigrant visas, such as the H-1B, could undergo renewal or stamping within the United States. However, after that, foreign workers holding H-1B and L1 visas have been required to return to their home countries for an H-1B extension stamp on their passports when renewing their visas.
H-1B visa holders are currently required to obtain renewal date stamps on their passports when their visas are renewed. This stamping is necessary for those who intend to travel outside of the US and then return.
It is crucial to remember that restamping of H-1B visas is only possible at a US consulate and is not permitted inside the US. This restriction has posed a significant inconvenience for foreign guest workers and their employers, especially given the extensive visa wait times, which now exceed 800 days or more than two years.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his four-day State Visit to the US, he emphasized that a new and significant chapter has commenced in the India-US relationship. He expressed that the world is observing the strengthening of ties between these two great democracies as they collaborate to create a better world.
During his address to the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, PM Modi announced that new American consulates will be established in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. Additionally, he mentioned that H1B visa renewals will now be permitted within the United States. This is a big relief for the Indians living in the United States, as now they won’t have to travel back to their home countries just for the renewal of their visas.
As a part of a people-to-people initiative, this decision has been made after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden. US authorities mentioned that an “in-country” H1B visa renewable procedure will be introduced shortly.
This will effectively ease the immigration and renewal process, which will eventually be a great advantage for various Indians who are working in the United States under the H1B visa. Supporting this statement, we have also gotten to know that India will open a new consulate in Seattle before the end of this year. Additionally, in two more US cities, Indian consulates will be opened.
Later this year, the US Department of State intends to initiate a pilot program for processing domestic renewals of specific petition-based temporary work visas. This program would initially work on H1B and L visas by 2024. It will eventually cover other visa categories as well.
In response to a query, the spokesperson from the State Department stated that they are unable to provide specific details regarding the initial eligibility of visa holders. However, they mentioned that the pilot program would commence with a limited number of cases initially and gradually expand over the course of the next 1-2 years.
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