US opens 4,000 H-1B Visa Application slots for Indians, Canadians (see dates)

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services is set to launch the renewal of H-1B non-immigrant visas, scheduled to commence in January 2024.

This program’s initial phase is exclusively accessible to individuals from India and Canada, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

Applications for the H-1B pilot program will be accepted from January 29 to April 1, 2024.

Under this renewed visa program, the department will open approximately 4,000 application slots per week for eligible candidates.

Out of these slots, 2,000 are allocated for applicants who received their most recent H-1B visas from Mission Canada,

while the remaining 2,000 are reserved for those whose visas were issued by Mission India.

The available slots will be open on January 29, February 5, 12, 19, and 26.

If your last H-1B visa was issued by Mission India, you can apply for renewal on the specified dates mentioned above.

Eligibility Criteria for H-1B Program:

1. Applicants should not be subject to a nonimmigrant visa issuance fee (reciprocity fee).
2. Submission of ten fingerprints to the Department for a past visa application is mandatory.
3. A waiver of the in-person interview is required.
4. Recent admission to the US must have been under the H-1B category exclusively; no other visa types are included in this pilot phase.
5. Applicants must currently hold H-1B status in the United States.
6. The period of authorized admission in H-1B status should not have expired.

The H-1B visa to be renewed must have been issued by Mission India between February 1, 2021, and September 30, 2021.

Fees for the H-1B Pilot Program:

The fee for the H-1B pilot program is a non-refundable and non-transferable MRV fee of $205.00.

Where to Apply:

Applications can be submitted by clicking here.

Alternatively, applicants can reach out to Jami Thompson, Senior Regulatory Coordinator, Visa Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State

Email at VisaRegs@state.gov.