The US government is set to make a significant move that will bring immense benefits to Indian professionals by introducing in-country renewable H-1B visas. This groundbreaking announcement is expected to take place during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inaugural state visit. By allowing Indian and other foreign workers on H-1B visas to renew their visas within the United States, this program aims to alleviate the burden of leaving the country for visa renewal.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa issued for three years, enabling US companies to employ foreign workers in specialized fields that require technical or theoretical expertise. Each year, numerous technology companies hire a substantial number of professionals from India and other countries through this program.
Before 2004, some non-immigrant visas, including the H-1B, could be renewed or stamped inside the US, as reported by the news agency PTI. However, since then, foreign workers seeking to renew their H-1B visas had to exit the US, often returning to their home countries, to have their passports stamped with the visa extension. This process posed significant challenges, especially considering the current wait times for some visas, which can exceed two years.
Under the proposed pilot program, certain Indian and foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew their visas within the United States without the need for international travel, according to a Reuters report. The program is expected to expand in the future.
Indians constitute the largest group of beneficiaries under the US H-1B program, accounting for 73% of the nearly 442,000 H-1B workers in the 2022 fiscal year, as stated in the report.
A senior official from the Biden administration quoted in the PTI report revealed, "The United States Department of State is going to launch a pilot to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas later this year, including for Indian nationals, with the intent to implement this for an expanded pool of H-1 and L visa holders." The official further emphasized that the program would eventually be extended to encompass other eligible categories, underscoring its positive impact on both India and the United States, as well as the significant benefits it would bring to businesses.