NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that Indian professionals in the US can renew their H-1B work visas without travelling abroad.
Addressing the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC, PM Modi said it has been decided that you will not have to go out of America to renew your H-1B visa.
He said the move will be of great help to the Indian IT professionals.
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Prime Minister also announced to the cheering crowd the decision to open three new Indian consulates in America, including one in Seattle.
He also said that America will open new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
Highlighting the depth of India-US relationship, PM Modi said the “two countries together are not just forming policies and agreements, but are shaping lives, dreams and destinies.”
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The United States authorities have announced that they will introduce ‘in-country’ renewable H-1B visas as part of the people-to-people initiative to smoothen the process of H-1B visa renewal for several Indians who are working in the US on a H-1B visa.
The US Department of State had announced that it would launch a pilot to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas later this year.
“The leaders welcomed an announcement by the US Department of State that it would launch a pilot to adjudicate domestic renewals of certain petition-based temporary work visas later this year, including for Indian nationals, with the intent to implement this for an expanded pool of H1B and L visa holders in 2024 and eventually broadening the program to include other eligible categories,” the India-US joint statement said.
The leaders affirmed that the movement of professional and skilled workers, students, investors and business travelers between the countries contributes immensely to enhancing bilateral economic and technological partnership.
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While acknowledging the important steps taken to augment processing of visa applications, the leaders noted in the joint statement, “the pressing need to further expedite this process. The leaders also directed officials to identify additional mechanisms to facilitate travel for business, tourism, and professional and technical exchanges between the two countries”.
Overwhelmed with the presence of the Indian community at the diaspora event, PM Modi said, “In a way, you have charted out the full map of India in this hall. I can see people from all corners of India here. It seems that a mini India has turned up.”
PM Modi said that his historic State visit to the US has begun a new and glorious journey of mutual relations between India and America.
“In these 3 days, a new and glorious journey of India and the US relations has begun. This new journey is of our convergence on global strategic issues, of our cooperation for Make in India Make for the World. Be it technology transfer and manufacturing cooperation or increasing coordination in the industrial supply chain, both nations are taking strong steps towards a better future. The decision of General Electric Company to manufacture fighter planes in India will prove to be a milestone for India’s defence sector,” PM Modi said.
“The decision to make fighter-engine plane will prove to be a milestone for India’s defence sector. America will also share ‘Mutual Trust’ with this agreement,” he said.
“The $400 million investment for semiconductor equipment in India by Applied Materials will help build a semiconductor product ecosystem in India. Google is also going to open its Global Fintech Center in India. Boeing has also announced $100 billion investment in India,” PM Modi said.
“During my visit, companies like Google, Micron, Applied Materials and others have announced to make huge investments in India. All these announcements will help to create employment in India. The Artemis Accord signed between India and the US will provide several opportunities in space research. With NASA, India will send astronauts to space. That is why I said – Sky is not the limit,” the PM said.
“I want to thank you all for showing such a beautiful image of ‘Ek Bharat, Sreshth Bharat’, in America. The amount of love I am getting in the US is wonderful, all the credit goes to the people of this country. President Biden and I had a lot of discussions in the last 3 days. I can say that he is an experienced politician. He has always tried to take the India-US partnership to another level,” he told the Indian diaspora.
(With inputs from agencies)
