Visa renewal

• Your passport valid for at least six (6) months. Your passport must contain your existing visa of the same classification/category as the one you are revalidated. For example; if you currently hold H1b status, you can revalidate/extend your H1b visa. Whereas, if you hold an H4 visa or other visa type, you cannot revalidate to an H1b visa .
  Your visa may be revalidated if it has a remaining validity of not more than sixty (60) days, or has not been expired for more than one year.

• You will need your original Form I-94 annotated by the (INS) inspector when you were last admitted to the U.S. Your original I-94 should be stapled in your passport. If your Form I-94 has expired, you should submit a valid Form I-797 Notice of Approval from the INS for each visa applicant.

• A valid Form I-797 (employment petition) which was issued by the INS must be submitted. The form will indicate your current employer and the approved extension of your stay in the US.

• You will require a comprehensive letter from your employer identifying you and describing in detail the nature and duties of your position, the company you work for and its business standing and markets to justify the need for the visa extension. The letter submitted must be on your employers letterhead. The letter must have an 'original' signature from the company representative and must be addressed to the Visa Office, Department of State. Do NOT sign the leter yourself, as the Visa Office will NOT accept letters signed by the visa applicant.

• A typed nonimmigrant visa application form, OF-156, with one 'official' passport-size photograph for each applicant, regardless of age. The photographs must be attached to the respective forms in the designated place. You should spell out the month of birth (i.e., write "March 27th," NOT 1/2 or 2/1). Incomplete or improperly filled out applications will be returned without visas.

• If the spouse and/or dependent children are applying for visas separately from the 'principal' visa holder, certified copies of the principal visa holders valid visa and valid I-94 (front and back) must be submitted in addition to all other requirements (this is for H4 to H4 revalidation )

• There is a required non-refundable fee for each machine readable visa. Payment may be made by bank draft, money order, or corporate check made to the order of the "U.S. Department of State." Cash and personal checks are NOT accepted. In addition, certain nationalities must also pay a "reciprocity fee." The amount of these fees vary from country to country. In the case of multiple applicants, you can combine all the fees into one payment check.

Current processing times for visa revalidations is 6-8 weeks. Due to September 11 attacks there may be additional delays for some applicants.