The United States is gearing up to launch a pilot programme for the domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas in December. This initiative is expected to be particularly beneficial for a significant number of Indian information technology (IT) professionals.
The plan was initially announced by the Biden administration during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June. The pilot programme shows efforts to streamline and enhance processes related to H-1B visa renewals for eligible individuals.
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In an interview with PTI, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, highlighted the high demand for US visas in India. She expressed concerns about the extended wait times of six, eight, and 12 months, emphasising that such delays are not in line with how the US views its relationship with India.
"We want to make sure that Indian travellers can get appointments as quickly as possible. One way we are doing that is through the domestic visa renewal programme, which is focused very much on India. We are piloting that," she told the news agency.
Over a three-month period starting from December, the State Department is set to issue 20,000 visas to foreign nationals who are already inside the US. This initiative is part of efforts to streamline and expedite visa processing, aiming to address the significant demand and reduce the lengthy wait times for visa applicants.
Stufft went on add that the initial group for the pilot programme will involve issuing 20,000 visas, with the majority expected to be for Indian nationals residing in America. The aim is to benefit Indian professionals, given that they constitute the largest skilled group of workers in the US. The programme is designed to prevent individuals from having to travel back to India or elsewhere for a visa appointment to renew their visas.
The pilot programme for the domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas has been in development by the State Department for some time. However, it was officially announced during the state visit of PM Modi.
The plan for the pilot programme for the domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas, mentioned in the joint statement and announced by PM Modi during his address to the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Centre, has been positively received and welcomed by the Indian community in the US.
Stufft mentioned that there will be a federal register notice, which is the first official notice of this programme, coming out very soon. This notice will provide comprehensive information, describing all the steps that need to be taken, specifying who is eligible to apply in the first tranche, and providing detailed instructions for the application process.
She added that the pilot programme for the domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas as a "huge undertaking" and expressed excitement about it. The initial phase of the pilot programme will involve processing 20,000 cases in December, January, and February. This represents a starting point, and there are plans to expand the program to include more categories of workers living in the US throughout the rest of 2024.
The move by the State Department to launch the pilot programme for has been described as "significant" by Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria.
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Bhutoria, as a commissioner to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, had proposed such a initiative, which was accepted and recommended by Biden.
"I am happy to see the recommendation I presented on behalf of immigration subcommittees on the Commission for H-1B visa stamping in the USA finally being implemented," he said in a statement.
(With PTI inputs)
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