Thousands Of H-1B Visa Interviews In India Postponed Amid Enhanced Vetting Rules | World News
According to reports, thousands of H-1B visa applicants in India have seen their previously scheduled US visa interviews delayed by several months following the introduction of stricter background and social media review requirements.
Most Affected Applicants Who Made Appointments on December 15 and Later
Applicants with visa interview appointments on or after December 15 were particularly affected. In many cases, talks were postponed to much later dates; some applicants received new appointments as late as October 2026.
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H-1B visa holders coming to the United States from India flew to their home countries to renew their visas, but are now stuck in their home countries as the State Department implemented a new policy to review H-1B visa applicants’ social media. Appointments… pic.twitter.com/3kcTP3BnJO — Karli Bonne’ (@KarluskaP) December 21, 2025
US Embassy Advises Not to Visit Consular Offices
The U.S. Embassy in India advised applicants not to come to consular offices based on previous interview dates if they receive rescheduling notices.
In a post published on
ATTENTION VISA APPLICANTS – If you have received an email informing you that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you with your new appointment date. Failure to attend your pre-scheduled appointment date will result in your rejection… — US Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 9, 2025
Delays Associated with Enhanced Scanning Measures
According to media reports, the rescheduling will apply to all visa applicants scheduled to be interviewed starting December 15. The delays are reportedly linked to the implementation of enhanced screening measures, including expanded review of applicants’ social media profiles.
Most of the affected H-1B applicants were already in India for visa stamping when their interviews were postponed. Because they do not currently hold valid H-1B visas, they cannot return to the United States until their new interview date, resulting in extended stays in India and delays in resuming employment in the United States.
These developments come at a time when visa-related costs and compliance requirements are increasing for H-1B applicants and employers. The Trump administration recently increased the H-1B visa fee to $100,000, further increasing the program’s financial burden.
The U.S. government has not announced a timeline for clearing the backlog of delayed talks or provided detailed guidance on how long the enhanced review process is expected to last.
