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Pew Research – Immigration
pewresearch.orgSummary
Nearly 400,000 H-1B applications were approved in fiscal year 2024, most of which were applications to renew employment.
Nearly 400,000 H-1B applications were approved in fiscal year 2024, most of which were applications to renew employment.
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Published by Pew Research – Immigration on pewresearch.org
A 33-year-old Indian IT professional and student, Venkatesh Doppalapudi, was killed after his car was swept away under severe flash flood waters in the United States. The victim was an H-1B work visa visa holder based in Nebraska and was reportedly driving north from Houston on Saturday afternoon when his vehicle was caught in sudden flooding triggered by severe storms that dumped over 6 inches of rain across south-central Kansas. Emergency responders in Sumner County said eyewitnesses reported seeing a vehicle submerged near a bridge along South Oliver Road in Wellington, with a person trapped inside. Rescue efforts were initially hampered by strong currents, prompting authorities to deploy air units and drones for search operations. His body was recovered on Sunday following an intensive multi-agency operation involving the Kansas Highway Patrol Air Unit and local police. The Consulate General of India in Houston expressed condolences and said it was in touch with the family and local authorities to provide assistance and complete legal formalities, including the repatriation of mortal remains. "The Consulate General of India in Houston is deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Mr. Venkatesh Doppalapudi, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, who lost his life in flash floodwaters in Kansas. The Consulate extends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time," the mission said in a post on X.
A growing number of professionals working in the US on H-1B work visa visas are exploring a move to the UK, due in large part to prolonged Green Card backlogs and uncertainty surrounding the US immigration system, pushing many to seek more predictable pathways to permanent residency. Introduced in 2020 as part of the UK's post-Brexit immigration framework, the Global Talent Visa is designed for individuals who have demonstrated exceptional talent or promise in fields such as digital technology, engineering, science, academia, medicine and the arts. According to immigration consultants cited by The American Bazaar, the UK Global Talent Visa offers several advantages over the H-1B visa. Unlike the H-1B, which is employer-sponsored, lottery-based, and subject to an annual cap of 85,000 visas, the Global Talent Visa is evidence-based and uncapped. Dubal noted that the April 2026 US Visa Bulletin lists the EB-2 (green card for advanced degree holders) India priority date as July 2014, effectively translating into a Green Card wait of around 14 years for many Indian applicants. "The UK Global Talent Visa gets you to settlement in three. Immigration advisers also pointed to increasing unease over the future of the H-1B programme. "Indian H-1B holders are not abandoning the US plan. To qualify for the Global Talent Visa, applicants must first obtain an endorsement from an approved UK body before submitting their visa application. Indian H-1B holders are not abandoning the US plan.
In a big blow dealt to Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court on Tuesday (30 June) struck down the president's executive order that intended to end birthright citizenship. The SCOTUS blow to Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship also brings relief for the Indians who have been residing in the US on H-1B work visa visa. There exist no US immigration laws or visa regulations preventing H-1B visa holders, or individuals on other valid temporary visas, from becoming pregnant or giving birth within the United States. Those holding H-1B or other temporary visas must continue to independently maintain their own legal immigration status. An H-1B visa remains governed entirely by existing immigration regulations. Once selected through the H-1B lottery and subsequently approved, a worker typically receives a visa valid for up to three years. India does not permit full dual citizenship. A child born in the United States to Indian parents acquires US citizenship automatically by birth. While that child cannot simultaneously hold full Indian citizenship, parents retain the option of applying for an Overseas Citizen of India card, which grants lifelong visa-free travel to India along with broad residency rights. Trump's executive order had sought to end automatic US citizenship for children born to parents residing in the United States illegally or on temporary visas, including H-1B workers.
