Criteria for H-1B Domestic Visa Renewal Eligibility Released
The program, which will accept applications from Jan. 29 to April 1, 2024 will begin with 20,000 H-1B workers. Pilot limited to applicants at Indian, Canadian consular offices. H-1B workers who received their visas at consular offices in India with an issuance date of Feb. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2021, or Canada with an issuance date of Jan. 1, 2020, through April 1, 2023, would be eligible. Dependent H-4 visa holders won’t qualify for domestic visa renewals for now. To control the number of applications received, the State Department will open 4,000 application slots each week starting Jan. 29, with 2,000 slots for applicants with H-1B visas issued in Canada and 2,000 for applicants with visas issued in India. Each application received will count against the number of slots allotted for that week, and the online portal will lock once the limit is reached. The application period will close when all slots are filled or on April 1, 2024, whichever comes sooner.