H-1B Visa Renewal : The much-anticipated pilot program allowing selected H-1B visa holders to renew their work permits within the United States has been officially announced by the US State Department in a recent Federal Register publication. Scheduled to commence on January 29, 2024, the initiative comes with specific limits and procedures.
The program is tailored to facilitate a maximum of 20K renewals, and applicants must have initially obtained their H-1B visas during specific timeframes at US consulates in Canada and India.
H-1B Visa Renewal Updates
Notably, the pilot program exclusively targets principal H-1B visa holders, excluding dependents to streamline the renewal process efficiently. To be eligible, applicants should have received their prior H-1B visas from Mission India within specified issuance dates.
In a strategic move to manage the application influx, the Department plans to release around 2K application slots each week for applicants whose most recent H-1B visas were issued by Mission India.
The online portal will be temporarily locked once the limit is reached, reopening with the release of the next batch of slots for each participating Mission group on the subsequent application date.
For those unable to apply on a specific date, the flexibility exists to submit applications on any remaining application dates during the entry period.
Applicants seeking participation should meet eligibility criteria for a waiver of the in-person interview requirement and must have previously submitted ten fingerprints to the Department in connection with a prior visa application.
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