Demand for the pilot program is expected to be very high, and application slots are limited. It is important to prepare in advance to avail of this benefit as soon as the program begins accepting applications. Application filing slots will be made available weekly.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the government to reduce wait times for consular services. Currently, individuals on H-1B specialty occupation visas, commonly used in the tech industry and valid for three years, need to get an appointment at a US embassy or consular office for a visa stamp after traveling abroad.
The pilot will address around 20,000 work visa renewals or almost a tenth of the estimated 583,420 H1-B visa holders. The program, proposed in February and formally announced in September during Prime Minister Narendra Modis US visit, will commence in December.
As per congressional directives, the annual regular cap for the H-1B category is set at 65,000. Not all H-1B nonimmigrant visas or status grants are subject to this cap.
E-registrations for the annual H-1B cap lottery typically occur in March. The proposed E-registration fee increase, from $10 to $215, aimed to deter misuse of the lottery system. With the delay in publishing the final regulation, the H-1B cap applications for the 2024-25 season are unlikely to be subject to higher fees.