Lawmakers Urge State Department to Expand H1-B Visa Renewal Program
Bipartisan letter urges State Department to make 2024 H-1B pilot permanent and include more visa categories.
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to expand and make permanent a pilot program allowing H-1B visa holders to renew their visas without leaving the United States.
In a letter sent Wednesday, the lawmakers applauded the 2024 pilot initiative that let select H-1B visa holders complete the renewal process domestically, describing it as “an important first step in modernizing our visa processing system.” They urged the State Department to broaden the effort to include other categories such as E, H, I, L, O, and P visas and to issue clear eligibility guidelines.
“The current system, which requires most nonimmigrant visa holders to leave the country for renewals, disrupts lives, strains consular resources abroad, causes undue financial burdens on workers, and creates uncertainty for U.S. companies relying on these talented individuals,” the letter states.
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Lawmakers cited long-standing delays at U.S. consulates abroad, which worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic and persist in 2025. In some cases, workers face wait times exceeding 300 days to secure renewal appointments, the letter notes, citing State Department data.
The domestic renewal program was ended in 2004, after the State Department determined it lacked sufficient infrastructure for in-country biometric screening required by the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002. However, the lawmakers argue that today's technology makes it possible to reinstate the practice without compromising national security, especially for low-risk applicants whose biometrics have already been collected.
“Reinstating and expanding domestic visa renewals will alleviate backlogs, increase efficiency, and provide greater certainty for U.S. employers, workers, and students,” they wrote.
The letter was signed by 16 House members, including Reps. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., Rich McCormick, R-Ga., Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., Don Bacon, R-Neb., Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and others, signaling broad bipartisan support for reform.
The lawmakers also indicated they are willing to pursue congressionally directed spending to fund the necessary infrastructure to make domestic visa renewals permanent.
“This is about reducing red tape, supporting our workforce, and making America more competitive,” said Rep. Subramanyam in a statement accompanying the letter.
The State Department has not yet responded publicly to the lawmakers' request.
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