H-1B visas could soon be stamped inside the U.S. following the Presidential commission’s recommendation
3 min read
Numerous Indian professionals, either new or waiting for the renewal of H-1B visas, are facing uncertainty because of long visa application appointments, with the current wait period being over a year.
A presidential commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has collectively approved a suggestion for the appointment of stamping of H-1B visas inside the U. S., a move whenever accepted by President Joe Biden will come as a major help to a great many foreign professionals, especially from India.
Stamping of H-1B Visas
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U. S. organizations to utilize foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire a huge number of employees every year from nations like India and China.
According to the ongoing mandatory practice, one needs to apply for a visa stamp at a U. S. Consulate or Embassy abroad before one’s H-1B status can be activated.
The move came from the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders during its meeting at the White House on Wednesday.
Long waiting period for Indians
Notably, a large number of them either new or waiting for the renewal of H-1B visas are uncertain because of long visa application appointments in nations like India where the current wait period is over a year. A proposal was moved by Indian American Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a commission member.
“As part of our immigration process, H-1B visa holders are offered the opportunity to work in the US live here and contribute to the growth of our economy, innovation, and economic development,” Mr. Bhutoria told individuals from the commission during the gathering, which was broadcast live by the White House.
H-1B visa holders, he told individuals from the commission, deal with issues and numerous a time even forced family separation during the renewal or when they travel abroad.
“There are situations where a lot of individuals, whose parents have been in ICU or in critical condition or their passing of a parent, yet they couldn’t travel back to the home country with the fear that if there is often delay in the visa appointments in the home countries,” he said.
“In India, the waiting period is 844 days to get a visa appointment, which is like two years or more. There’s a similar situation in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and numerous different nations. China is greatly improved at the present time. Thus, they can’t get an appointment and they can’t finish stamping and they stall out,” said Mr. Bhutoria.
USCIS should update the policy
This recommendation basically is saying that USCIS (U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Commission) should update its policy, as it was done previously numerous years back. To give rules to allow the expansion of and stepping of visas in the US by USCIS, he said.
“It was done already. It was stopped,” he added.
[The new US Bill seeks to provide a faster path to citizenship for H-1B visa holders]
“This suggestion is to request USCIS to allow the stamping in the US. On the other hand, USCIS should also consider giving high-level travel documents to these visa holders. When they will go out of the country with expired visa stamping so they can re-enter the U. S. without getting re-stamping in their nations,” Mr. Bhutoria said.
