STATE VISIT: US to offer in-country renewal of H-1B

New Delhi, June 22

The US has agreed to introduce renewable H-1B visas that would not require their holders to leave the country to get them revalidated. It has also agreed to another Indian demand for changes to the H-1 and L visas as well.

“The US State Department is going to launch a pilot scheme to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas later this year, including for Indian nationals, with the intent to implement this for an expanded pool of H-1 and L visa-holders,” said a senior Biden administration official.

This grand welcome … is an honour for 1.4 billion people of India and 4 million people of Indian origin living in the US. Narendra Modi

Two great nations, two great friends, two great powers that can define the course of the 21st century. Joe Biden

The much-sought-after H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries such as India and China.

This decision would help tens of thousands of Indian professionals stay in the US and continue with their jobs without the inconvenience of travelling overseas to get their work visas renewed.

In practice, the US is reverting to the situation that prevailed till 2004 for some categories of non-immigrant visas, including the H-1B, when they were renewed or stamped inside the US. After 2004, the US began stipulating that for renewing the three-year H-1 B visas, as well as some other categories, applicants would have to leave the US and go to their own country for getting their passports stamped.

This is part of the people-to-people initiative which successive Indian governments have been pressing for long.

The official said the US had last year issued 1.25 lakh visas to Indian students, which is a record. If the trend continues, Indians will become the largest foreign student community in the US. The 1.25 lakh visas represented a 20 per cent increase over the previous year, said the official.

“It is good for people in India, good for people in the US, really good for our businesses,” said the official. This was a big inconvenience for H-1B visa holders as also for their employees, particularly at a time when the visa wait time is more than 800 days or more than two years.

Pilot scheme for H-1, L visas

• The US has agreed to another Indian demand for changes to the H-1 and L visas as well
• It is going to launch a pilot scheme to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas
• The objective is to implement this for an expanded pool of H-1 and L visa-holders
• The US had last year issued 1.25 lakh visas to Indian students, which is a record.

Modi’s 5-point proposal to strengthen ties

1 Adopting an integrated approach bringing together government, industry and academia

2 Encouraging the exchange of teachers and students

3 Organising hackathons on various subjects between the two countries

4 Mutual recognition of vocational skills qualifications

5 Encouraging visits of people associated with education and research