An Indian-American technology executive and community leader has welcomed the announcement of a pilot programme that will enable the renewal of temporary work visas within the US, a step that will bring relief to hundreds of thousands of Indians working on the H-1B visas in the country.
“I am honoured and happy to see this announcement by the White House Joint Statement and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi himself making an announcement. The H-1B restamping in the USA will bring relief to over one million people on H-1B,” Ajay Bhutoria, a Silicon Valley technology executive, community leader, speaker and author, said in a statement.
In the Joint Statement by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden, issued during the Indian leader’s State Visit last month, the leaders welcomed an announcement by the State Department that it would launch a pilot to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas later this year, including for Indian nationals, with the intent to implement this for an expanded pool of H1B and L visa holders in 2024 and eventually broadening the program to include other eligible categories.
The much-sought-after H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
Until 2004, certain categories of non-immigrant visas, particularly the H-1B, could be renewed or stamped inside the US. After that, for the renewal of these visas, in particular, those on H-1B, the foreign tech workers have to go out of the country, mostly to their own country to get the H-1B extension stamped on their passport.
The H-1B visas are issued for three years at a time.
For all the H-1B visa holders, when their visa is renewed, they need to get their passports stamped with renewal dates. This is required if they wish to travel outside of the US and re-enter the US. This was a big inconvenience for foreign guest workers and also for their employees.
In his statement, Bhutoria expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Modi as well as to the State Department, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Commission for the move.
The ambassadors from countries including Turkey, Jamaica, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica and Spain, came together at the 1st edition of the Economic Times MICE & Wedding Tourism Summit and Awards, organised by ETTravelWorld. With each ambassador showcasing their country’s unique offerings, the immense potential of MICE and wedding tourism were brought to light as lucrative sectors for global travellers.
“The successful implementation of in-country H1B visa stamping renewal represents a crucial step toward creating a more efficient and humane immigration system. The alleviation of financial and emotional burdens for legal immigrants and their families signifies progress in ensuring a more inclusive and welcoming society,” it said.
Bhutoria is a prominent advocate for immigration issues and in 2021, Biden had announced his intent to appoint him on the President’s Advisory Commissioner on AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) Commission.
The announcement of the pilot programme was made by State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Nancy Jackson at the US India Summit, hosted by Bhutoria in Milpitas, California which further underscored the significance and impact of his advocacy.
During the recent State Visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United States, the announcement regarding the H1B visa renewal stamping being conducted in the US was made during a community event addressed by the Prime Minister.
