H-1B visa renewal now in US itself! PM Modi’s big announcement for Indian-Americans | US News
Last Updated:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that the Indian-Americans will not have to travel outside the US to renew their H-1B visas.
Indian citizens are by far the most active users of the US H-1B program. (Credit: Pixabay/ANI)
In a massive relief for H-1B visa holders in the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that Indian-Americans will not have to travel outside the US to renew their H-1B visas. The big announcement came a day after the US Department of State said that it would launch a pilot to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas by the end of 2023.
“The H-1B visa can now be renewed in the US itself and Indian-Americans will not have to travel outside the country to renew it,” PM Modi said during his address to the Indian diaspora at Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC. The Prime Minister added that the renewal of H-1B visas in the United States would help IT professionals in a big way.
Additionally, in an effort to ease the lives of Indian-Americans, India has announced the opening of a new consulate in Seattle this year. The Government of India is also working towards opening new consulates in two other American cities, PM Modi added.
New rules for H-1B visa
The third day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US saw several big announcements, including the change in visa rules aimed at boosting ties between the two countries. As per the pilot programme announced in relation to the H-1B visa, Indians and other foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew them ‘in-country’ without having to travel abroad. As part of the people-to-people initiatives, rules will be made easier for Indians living and working in the States.
Indian citizens are by far the most active users of the US H-1B program and made up 73 percent of the nearly 442,000 H-1B workers in the fiscal year 2022.
First Published:
