[HeavenFox]

This is a significant problem for Chinese H1B holders, because the visa sticker for Chinese passport is only valid for one year. You can stay for longer, but cannot come back if you leave the U.S. Historically folks have been getting their visa renewed in Canada or Mexico, and this is already a huge annoyance - not only do you have to make a pointless trip, but also appointments in these countries are very hard to get as a Third Country National (TCN).

Sure, most other countries don't allow TCNs to apply for visa, but they also don't require their long term residents to leave the country to renew their visa.

So, the correct solution to this is Domestic Visa Renewal. A pilot program was run last year, but it was limited to Indian H1B holders. Without this program in place, disallowing TCNs is simply cruel.

[em-bee]

not having Domestic Visa Renewal sounds like the most ridiculous oversight. i get making your first application from home, but renewal should always be in your target country. it's absurd to demand that people travel home once a year to renew their visa.

[pandaman]

Visa stamp is not needed to stay in the US, it's only to cross the border into the US. Also, coincidentally, a visa stamp can only be issued by a consulate and I don't know of any country that has consulates on its own land.

[em-bee]

a visa stamp can only be issued by a consulate

as i said, that's a weird US rule. i do not believe that there are many countries in the world that have such a rule. i have never encountered something like that on my travels.

I don't know of any country that has consulates on its own land

not relevant because most countries simply don't need a consulate to renew visas.

[pandaman]

I imagine countries, that stamp visas in the port of arrival are such but since US requires extensive checks and interview of a visa applicant, like many other countries, there is just no possible need for that.

>not relevant because most countries simply don't need a consulate to renew visas.

It's pretty relevant since what other institution is equipped to vet foreigners for visa eligibility?

[em-bee]

what other institution is equipped to vet foreigners for visa eligibility?

that would be the foreign ministry office in the country.

in china i have my visa renewed once in a small countryside town. they were big enough to have an office there. every town has one. in germany too. the local government office has a branch of the foreign ministry.

i have never had to leave a country to renew my visa. that's just insane. in fact that's even true for the US, at least for non-immigrant visa: https://www.usa.gov/extend-visa

what the US makes different is that it separates the work permit from the visa, and they get different validity times. and while having a valid work permit is enough to stay in the country, a new visa is required to reenter. which other country does that? everywhere else the visa itself is required to stay, a work permit is not enough, and consequently, you also get to renew that visa in the country.

[pandaman]

I think the confusion here is over "visa" vs "status". The OP in this thread is talking about getting a new visa stamp (a card with a picture glued onto a passport page), the USDOS link you post talks about extending your status in the country (they use "visa" term because most people confuse the status and visa, but the form I-539 on that page is the EOS form and does not do anything to the visa). The latter is possible anywhere, the former is only in a consulate.