| Welcome back, faculty and staff! We hope you have a fulfilling and healthy year. |
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| DOS Pilot Program to Allow for Limited H-1B Visa Renewals from Within the US Beginning January 29, 2024, a limited number of H-1B beneficiaries will be able to renew their visa stamps from within the US without needing to travel to a US consulate or embassy outside the country. The eligibility criteria for the Department of State (DOS) pilot program are restricted and significantly limit who can apply in this initial phase of domestic visa renewal. Only H-1B renewals are eligible. H-4 visa stamp renewals and other visa categories do not qualify. The pilot program will run through April 1, 2024, and is limited to applicants who meet all the below criteria: – Issued an H-1B visa stamp at a US consulate or embassy in Canada between 01/01/2020 and 04/01/2023 or at a US consulate or embassy in India between 02/01/2021 and 09/30/2021. – National of a country that is exempt from the H-1B visa reciprocity fee. – Possess a current H-1B visa stamp, or one that has been expired for less than 48 months and have had biographic fingerprint information captured by a US consulate in either Canada or India. – Prior visas were not annotated with “clearance received”. – Have an approved and unexpired H-1B petition. – Currently in the US in unexpired H-1B Status. – Not violating H-1B status. – Intend to reenter the US in H-1B status after a temporary period out of the US. – Do not require a waiver of visa ineligibility. The application period will open on January 29, 2024, with approximately 4,000 applications accepted each week through February 26, 2024. The Department of State expects to process accepted applications in an average of 6-8 weeks from when all required application documents are received. The DOS will then return original documents, passports and visa stamps to approved applicants by USPS or courier. Please monitor the DOS website dedicated to this pilot program for full information on the application process. |
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| I-94 Errors on the Rise Have you recently returned from international travel? Please be sure to always check your I-94 record after you have returned to the US, and email a copy of your new I-94 record and visa stamp (if applicable) to FSVS. FSVS has noticed an uptick in errors being made on I-94 admitting records. Your I-94 record governs your period of authorized stay in the country, and can result in accrual of unlawful presence if you are admitted in the wrong status, or for a shortened period. The earlier an I-94 issue is identified, the easier it is to correct. CBP can only admit foreign nationals until the earlier of either their passport expiration dates or their I-797 approval validity period. Please make sure to check your, and your family members’ CBP I-94 records each time you enter the US, to avoid potential issues. REMINDER: Report all Employment Changes to FSVS DID YOU KNOW that most nonimmigrant employment statuses require a new filing with the USCIS before any change in employment can occur? This includes changing positions within USC. When an employment-based petition is approved on behalf of a sponsored worker, it permits them to work in the specific position identified in the petition, performing the identified duties, at the identified worksite(s), and under the specific conditions outlined in the petition. Any changes to the conditions of a sponsored employee’s employment (moving from full-time to part-time, reclassification, new job, new department, new/additional worksite, etc.) MUST be shared with FSVS before the change takes place. Promotions within the same job family, such as moving from an Assistant Professor to an Associate Professor, constitute a significant change, and must be reported to our office as soon as they are considered a possibility. Failure to appropriately notify the government of employment changes could result in serious consequences for both USC and the sponsored employee. |