In a big relief to Indian professionals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Indian professionals can renew their work visas without travelling abroad.
“America’s new consulates will be opened in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. It has now been decided that the H1B visa renewal can be done in the US itself,” PM Modi said while addressing the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC. The move is part of a people-to-people initiative and comes after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Joe Biden.
The United States authorities announced that they will introduce ‘in-country’ renewable H-1B visas as part of the people-to-people initiative to smoothen the process of H-1B visa renewal for several Indians who are working in the US on a H-1B visa.
India is going to open a new consulate in Seattle this year. Apart from this, Indian Consulates will be opened in 2 more cities in America.
“Together we are not just forming policies and agreements, we are shaping lives, dreams and destinies,” said PM Modi.
This comes a day after the two countries welcomed an announcement by the US Department of State that it would launch a pilot to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas later this year.
“The leaders welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Department of State 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 India-US joint statement said.
The leaders affirmed that the movement of professional and skilled workers, students, investors and business travelers between the countries contributes immensely to enhancing bilateral economic and technological partnership.
While acknowledging the important steps taken to augment processing of visa applications, The leaders noted in the joint statement, “the pressing need to further expedite this process. The leaders also directed officials to identify additional mechanisms to facilitate travel for business, tourism, and professional and technical exchanges between the two countries”.
Award-winning international singer Mary Millben performed the National Anthem of India at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC.
