In early 2024 the State Department quietly tested a 20,000‑slot program that let certain H‑1B professionals renew their visas without leaving the United States. Applicants mailed their passports to Washington and saw decisions in roughly six to eight weeks, eliminating the cost and uncertainty of overseas stamping trips.
That experiment ended on 1 April 2024, but it left an impression. Over the past month, members of Congress from both parties have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revive and greatly expand the service. On 7 May 2025 Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi and sixteen colleagues asked the Department to “streamline and modernize” visa re‑issuance for H‑1B holders.
A day later Representatives Suhas Subramanyam, Ro Khanna, Rich McCormick and others echoed that call, stressing that domestic renewals cut employer disruption and shorten worldwide consular queues. Immigration‑policy writers quickly picked up the story, highlighting the lawmakers’ request to extend the benefit to L‑1, O‑1 and other low‑risk work categories.
Although the State Department has not yet committed to a timetable, officials have said they are reviewing pilot data and weighing whether the necessary biometric and security capacity can be scaled nationwide. Separately, early drafts of the FY 2026 State‑Foreign Operations spending bill set aside new money to “modernize visa re‑issuance systems,” giving the bureaucracy resources it lacked when domestic renewals were discontinued in 2004. Those budget negotiations will shape how quickly a full service can launch.
What employers should watch
A permanent in‑country stamping option would be a game‑changer for mobility teams that now build travel schedules around consular backlogs. If the program is reinstated, it will almost certainly start with H‑1B extensions whose applicants already provided fingerprints, then widen to other petition‑based visas once technology and staffing allow. The original pilot processed cases in weekly allotments; future rounds may keep a quota system while the Department scales up.
Practical next steps
While we wait for formal rule‑making, companies can prepare by identifying employees whose visas expire late this year, gathering prior I‑797 approval notices, and budgeting for courier fees that replace airfare. If domestic renewal becomes available, complete files will move first.
Current status
For now, the service remains a proposal. H‑1B workers who need new visas before travelling abroad must still plan for consular appointments or use automatic revalidation where eligible. We will update clients as soon as the State Department publishes eligibility rules or opens new slots.
Our firm will continue to monitor the Federal Register, congressional mark‑ups and liaison meetings so you have the earliest possible notice of launch dates and document checklists. If you have questions about how a stateside renewal program could affect your workforce planning, please reach out to our business‑immigration team.
