Department of State starts stateside visa renewal pilot program for certain H-1B visa holders
In advance of the January 29, 2024, 12:00 pm ET launch of the stateside visa renewal pilot program for certain H-1B visa holders, the US Department of State (DOS) is allowing participants to submit their DS-160 applications early. The voluntary pilot program is limited to principal H-1B applicants renewing a visa issued by Canada between Jan 2020 to Apr 2023 or India between Feb 2021 to Sep 2021. Those interested should go to https://ceac.state.gov/GenNIV/Default.aspx and select “U.S. — Domestic” from the dropdown menu. This will show an additional message confirming participation in the pilot program before beginning the online DS-160.
The pilot program is only for those specified. If unsure of eligibility, more information is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/domestic-renewal.html.
