Domestic H-1B Visa Renewal Pilot Program for Qualified Applicants Starts This Week
As an update to our previous alert, the Department of State (DOS) began accepting its first round of visa renewal applications for qualified H-1B applicants on January 29, 2024 as part of its domestic visa renewal pilot program. Approximately 2000 application slots will be released each week on Mondays from January 29, 2024 through April 1, 2024, or until all 20,000 application slots are filled, whichever comes first. Applicants will only be able to apply through the DOS online portal during the specified dates.
The DOS domestic visa renewal pilot program allows certain H-1B applicants to apply for their H-1B visa renewals in the United States without needing to travel to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. As provided in our previous alert, the pilot program is limited to foreign nationals who received an H-1B visa stamp from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Canada between January 1, 2020 and April 1, 2023, or foreign nationals who received a H-1B visa stamp from a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in India between February 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021, and who are eligible for a waiver of the in-person interview requirement (i.e. were previously issued a nonimmigrant visa, and are applying within 48 months of their most recent H-1B visa’s expiration date). Please note that the pilot program is not available to H-4 dependent spouses or children, or any other nonimmigrant visa classifications at this time.
Participation in the DOS domestic visa renewal pilot program is voluntary. Qualified H-1B applicants who wish to apply for visa renewal through the pilot program will need to follow the online navigator tool to assess eligibility. If eligible, applicants will need to complete and submit the DS-160 visa application form and pay the nonrefundable $205 Machine readable Visa fee, and then once accepted applicants will receive instructions to submit the below items by mail for processing:
A DS-160 barcode sheet for a properly completed and electronically filed form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application.
Original passport valid for travel to the United States, which is valid for at least six months beyond the visa application date, and contains at least two blank, unmarked pages for placement of a visa foil.
One photograph taken within the last six months,
Copy of current Form I-797, H-1B approval notice
Copy of Form I-94, showing most recent entry in H-1B status
In addition, qualified applicants must be residing in the United States and must have the intent to reenter the United States in H-1B status after a temporary period abroad. Applicants are not required to submit evidence of their residency or intent to reenter but the DOS may request for such evidence if needed.
The DOS projects that the processing time for these visa renewal applications will take around 6 to 8 weeks. Expedited processing is not available for these applications. If there is an urgent need to travel while the application is pending, the applicant may withdraw the application via the online portal and request to have the passport returned.
What This Means for Our Clients
We recommend individuals who wish to participate in the pilot program to apply early as the demand may be high. Applicants who are unable to obtain an application slot in the first round may attempt to apply on any of the remaining application dates during the application period. Individuals who travel frequently or who wish to apply for a new H-1B visa stamp with their H-4 dependents may continue to apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.