New Delhi: Thousands of H-1B visa applicants in India have been thrown into uncertainty after the United States unexpectedly postponed pre-scheduled visa interviews by several months, reportedly to enable enhanced scrutiny of applicants’ social media activity and online profiles.
Many applicants who were set to appear for interviews in the coming days have received emails informing them that their appointments have been rescheduled, in some cases as late as May next year. The mass deferment applies to all appointments initially fixed from December 15 onwards.
The sudden change has left a large number of Indian workers — many already in India for short visits — unable to return to the United States for work as they await new visa stamping dates. Without a valid H-1B visa, they cannot re-enter the US even if they hold approved petitions.
Applicants scheduled for interviews on 15 December were reportedly shifted to March, while those slated for 19 December received fresh dates in late May. In one case, an applicant said their Chennai appointment, originally arranged for 18 December and completed with biometrics, was pushed to April 30, 2026.
It is also learnt that interviews for several other visa categories have been delayed under the longer vetting procedures. The total number of people affected remains unclear.
The US Embassy in India has advised applicants not to arrive at consulates based on their original appointments.
“If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date,” it said, cautioning that those arriving on previously allotted dates will not be permitted entry.
The move has sparked concern among visa hopefuls and legal experts. Houston-based immigration attorney Emily Neumann criticised the decision, saying on social media, “Visa stamping feels like a maze of pitfalls right now… appointments are getting cancelled without warning and pushed out by months. There is no predictability in this process.”
The Trump administration has increasingly tightened the H-1B programme under its broader immigration policy, including greater scrutiny of applicants’ digital footprints. The H-1B visa allows US companies to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields for an initial period of three years, extendable by another three.
Indians account for nearly 71% of approved H-1B applicants, according to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In September, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation increasing the H-1B visa fee to USD 100,000.
The ongoing delays are expected to cause widespread disruption for workers and companies dependent on timely visa processing as interview schedules now stretch months ahead.
With PTI inputs