In a move that will benefit a significantly large number of Indian technology professionals, the US is set to begin a pilot programme for domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas in December. The pilot, which will be limited to 20,000 participants initially, comes months after the White House announced the plan during a visit of PM Modi. Julie Stufft, deputy assistant secretary of state for visa services, emphasized the high demand for US visas in India and the need to reduce waiting times. The domestic visa renewal programme will allow foreign nationals, primarily Indian nationals in the US, to renew their visas without having to travel back to India. The programme aims to streamline the visa renewal process for work visas and will be expanded gradually. This initiative provides a more convenient and efficient way for Indian technology professionals to renew their visas, thereby supporting the seamless continuation of their work in the US.