Hyderabad:The United States H-1B Domestic Visa Renewal Programme, which will allow H-1B visa holders to renew their visas without leaving the US, is gaining momentum among Congressmen. Seven Congressmen pledged their support to the programme, which will help the hundreds of thousands of Indian H-1B holders currently in the United States, and for those who are planning on moving there.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in its datasheets stated that more than 2 lakh H-1B visas were granted to Indians in 2024, a number which is increasing every year. From Hyderabad alone, thousands of H-1B visas are issued every month. In February of 2025, 3,218 H-1B visas were issued in Hyderabad.
Several lawmakers, including Indian-origin Congressmen, gave their support to the programme, among them Suhas Subramanyam, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, Rich McCormick, Henry Calvin Johnson, Don Bacon, and Sanford Dixon Bishop Jr.
A letter was sent to US secretary of state Marco Rubio requesting him to add other visa categories like E (treaty of commerce and navigation), H (temporary workers), I (journalists, reporters and film crews), L (MNC employee transfers), O (extraordinary ability), and P visas (event, tour, or performances) to the pilot programme.
K. Sravani, a H-1B holder from Andhra Pradesh who is working in Michigan, said, “My husband and I are both on H-1B visas. When it is time to renew our visas, we need to plan a whole trip to India. We have to take leave from work, put leaves for our children in their school, and most importantly, we have to deal with the uncertainty of getting a visa appointment.”
“Last time, we waited for weeks just for a slot in Chennai. The entire stamping work in India puts a lot of pressure on us. If the US allows renewals within the country, it will give families like ours so much more stability”, she added.
