Washington — Indian-American Reps. Suhas Subramanyam and Raja Krishnamoorthi are backing legislation that would allow H-1B professionals and several other categories of foreign workers to renew their visas without leaving the United States.
The lawmakers said expanding domestic visa renewal would reduce disruptions for workers, families and employers while allowing U.S. consular officers overseas to focus more resources on new visa applications and other diplomatic priorities.
The proposal is part of a three-bill package introduced by Subramanyam, a Virginia Democrat, aimed at reducing visa-processing delays, modernizing parts of the immigration system and improving the federal government’s response when Americans are caught in emergencies abroad.
The Domestic Visa Renewal Modernization Act would build on a 2024 pilot program that allowed some H-1B visa holders to renew their visa stamps while remaining in the United States.
Under the bill, domestic renewal would be extended to holders of H-1B, H-1B1, E, I, L, O and P visas. Those categories include skilled professionals, multinational company executives, investors, journalists, athletes, entertainers and people with extraordinary ability.
Visa holders generally must travel to a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad to obtain a new visa stamp. Long waits for appointments can leave workers stranded outside the country and separated from their jobs and families.
“People who are already legally living and working in the United States should not have to leave the country simply to renew their visas,” Krishnamoorthi said.
“Our Domestic Visa Renewal Modernization Act would cut unnecessary red tape, give workers and employers greater certainty, and help ensure America remains competitive in attracting and retaining talented people from around the world,” he added.
Krishnamoorthi and Republican Rep. Don Bacon are co-leading the legislation with Subramanyam. Democratic Reps. Jonathan Jackson and Deborah Ross are also co-sponsors.
A second bill, the Reducing Visa Delays Act, would require the State Department to assess whether U.S. embassies and consulates have sufficient staffing to reduce appointment and processing backlogs.
The legislation would also require a review of visa-vetting policies introduced under the Trump administration and seek greater transparency around the full waiting times applicants face.
“My constituents deal with the consequences of extended visa delays on a daily basis. Appointment backlogs and processing delays disrupt families and jobs. We need to address them,” Subramanyam said.
The third measure, the Strengthening Emergency Responses Act, focuses on Americans affected by wars, natural disasters and other emergencies overseas.
It would require the State Department to review and update evacuation plans after each emergency operation and assess how information is provided to people seeking assistance.
The proposal would also require regular communication with the next of kin of Americans affected by major disasters abroad.
Subramanyam said constituents reported receiving limited guidance while trying to leave the Middle East at the start of the Iran war and that families had also sought better communication following flooding in Nepal in August.
“At the start of the Iran War, I had constituents stranded in the Middle East with little guidance and no advance notice. It is critical to communicate closely with families of those impacted by disasters abroad too,” he said. (Source: IANS)
