| ▲ | OptionOfT 2 days ago |
| H1-B and L1 can actually be done in-country, but for some reading going abroad and get consular processing has a lower chance of RFE. |
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| ▲ | HeavenFox 2 days ago | parent | next [-] |
| You are talking about change (or extension) of status, not visa. US is unique in that the visa sticker and your right to remain in the country (status) are two different things. The only purpose of the visa sticker is to allow you to travel to a U.S. port of entry, where you apply for admission, and therefore legal status. You can have legal status in the U.S. while the visa sticker has expired, and your status can be changed or extended domestically. However unless you have a valid sticker you cannot leave and return. |
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| ▲ | maxgashkov 2 days ago | parent | next [-] | | It's not unique: Japanese system is exactly as you described. | | |
| ▲ | a_bonobo 2 days ago | parent [-] | | Australia too - however, to get a renewal all you need is an online connection and a credit card, the renewal (at least for me!) goes through automatically. (Notwithstanding that Australia just increased the PR-renewal cost from ~400-500 to ~1400-1500 AUD) | | |
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| ▲ | sjtgraham 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | There actually is a pilot to renew h1-b visa foils while in the US without a consular appointment. | | |
| ▲ | yyhhsj0521 a day ago | parent | next [-] | | Which makes immigrants' lives easier (shocked!) so it won't get implemented | |
| ▲ | a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | [deleted] |
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| ▲ | FireBeyond 21 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] | | Similar even with LPR (Legal Permanent Resident) status. Your green card is valid for ten years. When the card expires it must be renewed, but your status does not expire. But you would need a current, valid card, to re-enter if you left (or have extenuating circumstances which you'd -reallllly- want to have worked through with a consulate prior to attempting. | |
| ▲ | dizhn a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | I thought that was universal. The Visa gets you into the country. Your entry stamp shows how long you can stay. It was an extra white card in USA but I forget what designation the form had. Been a while. | | |
| ▲ | Ra8 a day ago | parent [-] | | One example I'm familiar with which is different, are Schengen tourist visas. You need to leave before the visa expires. That's not the case for US tourist visas. | | |
| ▲ | dizhn a day ago | parent [-] | | Apparently the Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) card is phased out. But it used to be that it contained your allowed term of stay. I am sure the digital version has something like that. You do not automatically get the max allowed duration per your visa. It might be that they are one and the same especially short visa terms of course. But i haven't actually been since mid 2000s so I wouldn't actually know for sure. |
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| ▲ | spiralpolitik 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| Based on my experience 20 years ago you could only renew the H-1B visa in the passport in-country under extraordinary circumstances. In the majority of cases they reject your request and would tell you to travel to a consulate. Prior to the mid 00s you could renew at any consulate but they changed it so you could only renew in your home country. |
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| ▲ | zem a day ago | parent [-] | | the "only in your home country" change happened very recently, late 2025 or early 2026 | | |
| ▲ | mportela a day ago | parent [-] | | Not really… Theoretically, you could get it issued in a third country under very restrict conditions (renewing to the same class, in Mexico or Canada, force majeure, etc). However, the likelihood of it being denied was considerably higher, so basically all immigration lawyers strongly recommended going back to the home country. The recent policy change ended that possibility altogether. | | |
| ▲ | spiralpolitik 18 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | This matched my experience. 2002 I renewed in Canada with no issue. 4 years later I had to go back to my home country as I was told by my immigration lawyer that unless I had a connection to Canada, they would redirect me to my home country. | |
| ▲ | zem a day ago | parent | prev [-] | | at least for Indians, going to Mexico/Canada and renewing to the same class were both very large use cases. consulate appointments in the home country are super backed up. |
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| ▲ | gpt5 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| The pause on visa appointments does not apply to H1-B and L1 as they are nonimmigrant visas. It applies to family based immigration visa, diversity visa, and EB-1/2/3 when you do processing abroad. (You might have known that, but I thought it's worth clarifying). |
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| ▲ | 2 days ago | parent | prev [-] |
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