Around a year ago, the US Department of State launched a pilot program to test the process. The program included about 20,000 eligible participants who met the criteria outlined in the US Federal Register.
New Delhi : Skilled workers from abroad employed in the United States will soon have the option to renew their H-1B visas without the need to leave the country. This change is expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals working in specialized industries.
A year ago, the US Department of State launched a pilot program to test the process. Around 20,000 eligible participants, who met the criteria outlined in the US Federal Register, took part in this initiative.
The pilot program has been successful, and as a result, H-1B visa holders will no longer need to travel back to their home country for renewal stamping. This change addresses a long-standing issue faced by professionals under this visa program, the majority of whom are Indians. Previously, they had to endure the hassle of traveling thousands of miles and spending significant amounts on airfare. Additionally, the process involved securing a visa appointment, which often came with long waiting times and delays, making the experience even more stressful and time-consuming.
The goal of the pilot project was to simplify and speed up the H-1B visa renewal process, making it more convenient for applicants.
In its year-end press statement, the US Department of State announced that a pilot program for H-1B visa renewals had made it easier for many skilled workers from India to renew their visas without leaving the United States. This initiative simplified the renewal process for thousands of applicants. The department also confirmed plans to officially launch a US-based renewal system in 2025.
The new process has been confirmed to launch this year, but the exact start date is yet to be announced.
This development comes amid heated discussions about the H-1B visa program and its impact on jobs for American citizens. Some hardline critics have called on incoming President Donald Trump to terminate the program as part of his broader immigration crackdown. Many believe that H-1B visa holders “steal American jobs” and pose a “threat to Western culture.”
Donald Trump, along with key figures like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has expressed strong support for the H-1B visa program. They believe that “America needs talented people,” and the H-1B visa enables some of the brightest minds from around the world to live and work in the United States. This, in turn, helps the country maintain its leadership in technology, research, and healthcare on a global scale.
India leads the world in H-1B visa holders, with the majority working in the tech sector, followed by those in medical and research fields. According to data from the US State Department, in 2022, 77% of the 320,000 H-1B visa applications were granted to Indians. In 2023, out of 386,000 visas issued, more than 72% went to Indian nationals.
In 2024, India leads the world with 3,31,000 student visas issued, making Indians the largest group of international students pursuing professional or higher education in the United States.
The US State Department reported that the number of visitors from India has grown five times over the past four years. In the first eleven months of 2024, over two million Indians traveled to the United States, marking a 26 percent rise compared to the same period in 2023.
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