To begin with, 20,000 H-1B specialty occupation workers will be able to renew their visas in the US beginning from January next year

NEW YORK (TIP): In a move likely to benefit Indian professionals, a pilot program allowing H-1B holders to renew visas without leaving the US, has cleared a review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

To begin with, 20,000 H-1B specialty occupation workers will be able to renew their visas in the US beginning from January next year.

The Department of State is launching a pilot program for domestic renewal of H-1B visas, offering a significant development for qualified applicants. The program, active from January 29 to April 1, 2024, allows eligible H-1B visa holders to renew their visas within the United States, a departure from the standard process requiring renewal from outside the country.

Eligibility and Application Details:

Scope: Limited to H-1B visa renewals.
Requirements: Applicants must meet specific criteria, including prior visa issuance by Mission Canada (from January 1, 2020, to April 1, 2023) or Mission India (from February 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021), among others.
Application Process: Applicants can apply online at travel.state.gov.
Aim of the Pilot: The pilot aims to test the feasibility of resuming domestic visa renewals and to assess its effectiveness in reducing global visa wait times. This move is aligned with the Administration’s commitment to improving federal service delivery and supporting U.S. industry partners.

Application Procedure:

Period: Online applications accepted from January 29, 2024.
Limits: Weekly limits on applications based on the region of prior visa issuance.
Processing Time: Expected to be 6-8 weeks from the receipt of required documents.
Fees: Non-refundable and non-transferrable $205 MRV fee.

Requirements for Participation:

Includes criteria such as in-person interview waiver eligibility and maintaining H-1B status.
Documentation Needed:

A completed DS-160 form, a recent photograph, passport, Form I-797, and I-94.
Important Notes:

Visa issuance through this program is not guaranteed.
Ineligible or incomplete applications will face refusal under INA section 221(g).
This pilot is a temporary arrangement, and participation is voluntary.

The pilot program cleared the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs review on December 15, the final regulatory hurdle before publication. The development comes months after the White House announced a pilot program for domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June this year.

It would allow H-1B holders to renew their visas by mailing them to the State Department rather than travel outside the US and face uncertain wait times to secure an appointment at an American consular office before returning.

In countries like India, the largest source of H-1B workers, high visa wait times have added uncertainty to travel plans for those workers and their employers.

An estimated 75 per cent of the H-1B visas granted in a year are known to go to workers from India, hired by some of the largest US tech giant such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Facebook.

Due to heavy visa backlogs, some H-1B workers have pursued work-arounds such as travelling to nearby countries with fewer backlogs to secure appointments. The average wait time to secure a visa appointment for travel to the US fell to 130 days last year, a drop of 70 days from fiscal year 2022. The State Department considers acceptable wait times to be closer to 90 days.
(Source: IANS)