Discontinuation of Domestic Reissuance of H Visa Stamps
Prior to July 16, 2004, it had been possible to apply for a renewal of an already obtained H-1B visa stamp within the United States. Effective July 16, 2004, it will no longer be possible to renew an H visa stamp in the United States. Due to the increased interview requirements and the requirement of Section 303 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act that United States visas issued after October 26, 2004, include biometric identifiers, it is not feasible for the Department of State to continue with this program.
In order to mitigate the inconvenience to applicants, The Department of State will direct all visa adjudicating posts to accommodate on a priority basis applicants who would have benefited from their visa reissuance services. Visa interview appointments may be made for some posts through Internet sites or by telephone. Additional information regarding posts and visa interview appointment systems may be found at http://usembassy.state.gov(opens in new window). The Department of State encourages all applicants to apply in their home countries. Their visa adjudicating posts in Mexico and Canada have some capacity to accept nonimmigrant visa applications from stateside applicants. In all cases, applicants should obtain an interview before traveling.