US set to introduce in-country H-1B visa renewals

Washington: The US is set to introduce in-country renewable H-1B visas, a significant decision that would help thousands of Indian professionals staying in the country to continue with their jobs without the hassle of travelling overseas for the renewal of their work visas. This is part of the people-to-people initiative, a senior administration official said on Thursday.

Over the past few months, the Biden administration has taken several steps to streamline the visa processing system and reduce inconveniences.

The H-1B visas are issued for three years at a time. For all the H-1B visa holders, when their visa is renewed, they need to get their passports stamped with renewal dates. This is required if they wish to travel outside of the US and re-enter the US. As of now, H-1B visa restamping is not allowed within the US. Restamping can only be done at any US consulate. This was a big inconvenience for foreign guest workers and also for their employees, particularly at a time when the visa wait time is more than 800 days or more than two years.

The US last year issued 125,000 visas to Indian students, which is a record and they are on pace to become the largest foreign student community in the United States with a 20 per cent increase last year alone, the official explained.