On 20 December 2023, the U.S. Department of State announced a domestic visa renewal pilot program for select H-1B nonimmigrant visa applicants, with aims to streamline visa processing times and shift certain workloads from overseas posts to offices in the United States. Among other restrictions, this pilot program is limited to applicants who have previously obtained an H-1B visa stamp at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in India or Canada and are seeking to renew their H-1B visa stamp. Eligible applicants will not require an in-person visa interview or the completion of biometrics. The application window for this pilot program will be held from 29 January 2024 to 1 April 2024, with approximately 4,000 slots per week.
A Tax Alert prepared by EY Law LLP, and attached below, provides additional details.
