H1B visa holders allowed renewals in US: Here's what you need to know

H1B visa renewal: In good news for H1B workers including Indian nationals, can begin applying to renew their visas without leaving the US, marking a significant change after nearly two decades.

Up to 20,000 qualified nonimmigrant workers can renew their H-1B visas domestically.

The announcement for the same was made by the US Department of State on the pilot program for in-country renewal of certain petition-based temporary work visas, including for Indian nationals, was made in June 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US.

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During the visit, PM Modi announced at an Indian American community event in Washington that the H-1B visa renewal stamping was being conducted in the US.

A total of 20,000 participants will be accepted for the pilot over the next five weeks, split equally between workers who recently received their H-1B specialty occupation visas at consulates in India and Canada.
Applicants could fill out a visa application form on the agency's website last week, although they couldn't be submitted until Monday.

The initiative for now is limited to only H-1B workers who meet the criteria outlined in December and excludes dependent visa holders like spouses and children on H-4 visas--a source of frustration that many workers expressed when eligibility details emerged.

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The DOS has indicated that the initial launch of this stateside visa renewal process will be a limited pilot program to test out the operationality of the program. If the pilot program proves successful, the DOS has expressed its strong desire to expand the program's eligibility to other visa categories and individuals. 
(With inputs from agencies) 

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