One of the announcements that Prime Minister Modi had made in favor of US work visa holders from India during his first state visit to Washington DC in June 2023 is finally becoming a reality after a successful pilot trial through 2024. It is the stamping of certain non-immigrant US visas, including H1B, for renewal in the United States. The presidential approval from the White House had set in the pilot program for domestic H1B visa renewals in USA, a majority of which is for Indian nationals.
The pilot program for domestic H1B visa renewal was started at the Canadian and Indian Consulates in the US in January 2024. At the same time, the US Department of State had announced a move to issue paperless US visas for certain countries in 2025.
It is worth noting that H4 visa holders, the dependents of H1B visa professionals in USA, were not eligible for the domestic US visa renewal pilot program. It is highly anticipated that the success of the pilot trial would eliminate international travel for spouses and children of H1B workers by enabling them to renew their H4 status within the US, now onwards.
Eligibility Criteria for H1B Visa Renewal in USA?
You must have valid H1B status, an unexpired petition for renewal, and fingerprints on file with the Department of State among the eligibility criteria for H1B visa renewal in the US. At the same time, you must be qualified for an in-person interview waiver. You don’t need any American residence proof to get your H1B visa renewed in USA without traveling to India. The application fee $205 may be the same as for the pilot program. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. 6 to 8 weeks is the approximate processing time for your employment visa renewal in the USA.
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America’s New Year Gift to H1B Visa Holders
“Indians are the largest skilled group of workers in the United States. We hope that India will benefit quite a bit from this program and it will prevent Indians from having to travel back to India or anywhere for a visa appointment to get their visas renewed. It will allow our missions in India to concentrate on new applicants,” said Julie Stufft, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services.
H1B visa renewal stamping in India continues to have been a nightmare for lakhs of Indians since the onset of the pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of H1B visa holders got stuck in India due to the pandemic-induced closure of US Embassy and consulates. Currently, the nightmare drags on over the US visa renewal appointment delays in India. This affects Indian families and causes their separation. Over 800 days is the visa interview wait time at the US Embassy and Consulates in India. Many Indians on H1B visa lost their US jobs as they could not travel back without visa stamping during the pandemic.
Another movement is gaining momentum for H1B visa holders
Resumption of domestic stamping for H1B visa renewals in USA has more to it. The Presidential commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders would like USCIS to update its visa stamping policy, which was done many years ago but it was not honored. It is also recommended that H1B visa holders should be provided with advanced travel documents so that they don’t get stuck back home and can re-enter the US on an expired visa.
If H1B visa holders are given advanced travel documents, they may be able to travel to India via Europe without a transit visa. As of today, if your US visa has expired, you need a transit visa to travel to India from USA via Europe. Traveling through the Middle East on an expired US visa does not have any transit visa requirement. Given advanced travel documents, you will be able to choose a round-trip flight between USA and India over two one-way flights. Usually, round-trip flights to India cost lesser than two one-way flights booked separately. Without worrying about visa stamping in India and needing a transit visa for Europe, you will be able to visit your parents and attend to their medical needs back home.
Domestic US Visa renewal promises to ease travel for Indians
The presidential approval to resumption of H1B visa renewal service in America promises a host of benefits, including enhanced ease of travel between USA and India. This is a most pressing need of the hour in view of the understaffed US Embassy and Consulates, India struggling to clear the visa backlogs that have built up over the past two years of the pandemic. It is draining financially and mentally those who traveled to India for unprecedented reasons such as family emergency, and in the hope of getting their visa renewal applications processed during a definite period of stay. They end up paying a fare difference for rescheduling their flights more than once, which costs them additional hundreds of dollars each time, due to the US visa processing delays in India.
“This is when an open ticket comes in handy. Keeping your flight tickets in open status is cheaper and better than rescheduling your reservation and paying a fare difference twice or thrice. Once your return travel date is confirmed, you can use the open ticket by paying a fare difference (if any) and certain fees (as per the airline policy) within 6 to 12 months from the date of original booking. We recommend open-ended air tickets to our customers without certain return travel dates,” said the chief ticketing officer of IndianEagle.com, a leading travel-booking partner of Indians in America.
Also Check: Save more than $1000 on traveling to India from USA this Holiday season
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Yes, It is very necessary for us and also the people who are on B1/B2 .
I want this process iam interested
This is good
I believe it will be a win win situation for the aviation industry. Most h1bs don’t go to European or other tourist spots because they have no choice but to travel to India to get their visa stamped. This will give liberty for tourism across the world
I completely agree to this point. We dont travel to tourist places because of the fear of Visa. If the visa stamping is done here even the Aviation industry cherish .
Yes, this will solve H1-B travel issues.
This will help aviation economy for frequent flying, flexibility of traveling and mostly avoiding paying vendors with Rs.15000/ ruppes per person to book visa appointment in US Consulate in India.
This process was working before few years and I guess presidential executive order bring it back. Anyway finger crossed.
Yes, I am also in favor to Get H1B Visa Stamping in USA
On a contradictory to your comment, No one will go to India only for stamping, of they have some purpose to go Stamping is stopping them to go to India. If the stamping is allowed inside the US, people will travel frequently to their home country easily, because of no dependency on stamping, then India-US aviation industry will be flourished.
I am completely agreeing with Harish comment, more people will fly if they do not have visa concern.
I am the one who might be went 2 time to India in last 4 years but due to visa stamping issue not going.
Any idea when decision is planned to be taken?
The recommendation when approved by the President would be a big relief to H1B visa holders from India. The pandemic and now the long waiting time for getting an appointment in India for the visa stamping has affected families deeply. Hoping the approval comes by October end.
Indian citizens on a H1B visa are literally trapped here. Going back to visit family should not result in you losing your job! It would be basic human decency for America to offer visa stamping here.
Hi Latha! You’re absolutely right. If someone’s H1B visa has expired and is not being extended due to visa processing delays in India, he/she would be allowed to return to the US.
Is it only for H1B visa holders or are they going to implement it for L1A also ?
How every thing turned in 1 week?
Shortage of staff and overload due to post covid at us consulate office in india
All problems solved in 1 week . Something is fishy for sure
Ideas on the approval and execution timelines?
Guys this is just an another carrot for H1B holders. They are never going to move the stamping process to USA. 🙁
To be honest , look back at history of 17 years. Everything is tightened on H1B and dependents except one exception and that is H4 EAD.
Trust , these things pop up time to time but unfortunately nothing going to change.
This is just a recommendation nothing else. If indians are not trapped here this way the economy going to impact in some extent.
As reported in article, I hardly know someone who just travels to India just for stamping, OTOH, if stamping provided in US, it will boost US-India travel, since people know they can return back without hassles. Lot of people are just not able to travel because of uncertainty of them securing visa.
H1b visa stamping inside USA will actually provoke more travel back and forth from USA to India and it will not affect aviation economy and in fact it will boost aviation economy. Due to visa stamping approval/ denial issues, most of the Indian are actually reluctant to go to India and stuck in USA and so, providing visa stamping facility inside USA will be seriously a huge help for Indians to travel between countries.
Actually it would be a boon for the Aviation Industry. I think a number of Indians postpone going outside of the united states purely because they lack stamping and want to avoid the hassle. of expired visas and stamping/renewals.
Transit Visa Via Frankfurt is not required now.
Hi Venkat! If your US visa has expired, you need a transit visa to travel to India via Europe. If there is a transit between Schengen country airports in your itinerary via EU, you need a transit visa.
Any Update on visa stamping in USA ?
This would also mean quick deportation incase the visa office thinks you have overstayed for few cases.
Is this a recent article or old one? All the comments here are dated from 2022.
Hi Samir! The article was updated from time to time based on the developments for H1B visa holders. Recently, we updated the information in the article last week.
i am not able to find official mandate on USCIS website. Would you be able to refer us to the official mandate