The U.S. Department of State announced earlier this year that it would implement a stateside visa renewal pilot program. That means that they would allow certain foreign nationals to renew their visa here in the U.S., instead of having to travel outside the U.S. to have their visa renewed. So far, the stateside visa renewal program has not been rolled out. The Department of State has recently indicated that the stateside visa renewal pilot program should begin in early 2024. In addition, they anticipate that for now, the stateside visa renewal program will be limited to H-1B principals only (not dependents), and the program will be limited to nationals of certain countries (including India). The eligibility requirements will likely be similar to those currently in place for the interview waiver program.

Again, as of right now, this program is not in place, and no one knows the exact date that it will be implemented, or the exact process that the Department of State will put into place for the program. We do anticipate that once the visa renewal pilot program is implemented, the program will likely eventually be expanded, but we do not have an anticipated date for that at this time. It may be that processing for the stateside visa renewal (in the U.S.) will not be widely available until 2025, depending on how the pilot program goes.

Remember that there is a difference between the visa expiration and the I-94 expiration. Just because your visa is going to expire, that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to extend it immediately, though you will likely need a valid visa to re-enter the U.S. after travel.

In addition, the visa interview waiver program is currently still in place, but the process differs some depending on the specific consular post that you're visiting. Be sure to check the website of the specific post for specific instructions and information. In addition, check out our recently updated blog post on documents for the H-1B visa stamping process.

If you are not yet a Sumner Immigration Law client and you’re looking for an experienced, empathetic, and efficient team to help you navigate the process with confidence, please contact us today to set up your initiation consultation to get the process started! You can set an appointment online. You can also call us at 804-396-3412 or send us an email at info@sumnerimmigration.com. We are immigration lawyers in Richmond, VA but we serve clients throughout the U.S. and around the world. For more information on our firm visit Who We Are and What Makes Us Different! We look forward to hearing from you!

As always, the above information is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Please speak with a qualified immigration lawyer before taking action.