The United States authorities have announced the introduction of ‘in-country’ renewable H-1B visas as part of the people-to-people initiative. This initiative aims to streamline the H-1B visa renewal process for Indian professionals currently working in the US on an H-1B visa.
With this development, Indian professionals will no longer be required to travel overseas to renew their work visas. The announcement from the US visa office comes just ahead of the crucial bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington DC on Thursday.
H-1B visas, often referred to as work visas, are crucial for technology companies that hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India. These visas are issued for a duration of three years.
Currently, when H-1B visa holders renew their visas, they must have their passports stamped with the new renewal dates. This stamping is necessary if they plan to travel outside of the US and re-enter the country. However, it is important to note that H-1B visa restamping is not permitted within the US and can only be done at any US consulate.