Washington: In December, the United States is preparing to launch a pilot program focused on renewing specific categories of H-1B visas within the country in December. A US official has expressed that this initiative is expected to be beneficial for a significant number of Indian technology professionals.
Following the revelation of the plan during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June state visit, the announcement has now been officially made. In an interview, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, emphasized that there is still a significant demand for U.S. visas in India.
“The wait time of six, eight and 12 months is not indicative of how we view India, and we want to make sure that Indian travellers can get appointments as quickly as possible. “
“One way we are doing that is through the domestic visa renewal program, which is focused primarily on India. We are piloting that and will issue 20,000 visas to foreign nationals who are already inside the country over a period of three months, beginning December,” she added.
Furthermore, a notice will be published in the federal register outlining the necessary steps and eligibility criteria for applying in the initial phase, providing clear instructions.
The State Department’s action has been described as “significant” by Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria.
“This relief will ultimately impact over one million H-1B holders, a significantly large number of whom are Indians. This progress, alleviating burdens for legal immigrants, reflects a society moving towards inclusivity,” he said.