Indian Member of Parliament Galla Jayadev has raised concerns in Parliament, urging the Indian government to intervene on behalf of H-1B dependents and H-4 visa holders facing challenges in the US domestic visa renewal process. The US Administration has recently introduced a renewal condition excluding dependents, mandating them to return to their home country for the renewal process.
During a press briefing on November 28, 2023, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services, mentioned ongoing efforts to streamline domestic visa renewals. She stated that a pilot program would commence the following month, allowing individuals on long-term work visas in the US to apply for renewal without leaving the country. This marks a revival of domestic visa renewals, which were discontinued in 2004, with the last instance occurring about 20 years ago. Immigration lawyers have long advocated for the reinstatement of this service.
Indian expats support, H-1B visa renewal, H-4 visa assistance, US visa renewal plea, Help for Indian expatriates