Thousands of H-1B visa applicants in India have had their pre-scheduled interviews, originally planned for late December, unexpectedly postponed by several months following the implementation of new, more stringent background checks and social media screening protocols.
Applicants with appointments scheduled after December 15 have been especially impacted, with some interviews now pushed back to October 2026.
The US embassy in India has instructed visa applicants not to visit consular offices on their original interview dates.
“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. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate,” the embassy stated in an X post earlier this month.
The widespread cancellation of H-1B visa interviews, resulting from enhanced vetting procedures, is expected to cause substantial delays in applicants’ return to the United States. The interview rescheduling affects all applicants who were previously scheduled from December 15 forward, a PTI report indicated.
Many affected applicants had already traveled to India for their interviews and now face extended stays since they lack valid H1B visas to return to their US-based jobs.
PTI also reported that interviews for various other visa categories are being delayed due to the new requirements for examining applicants’ social media activity. The precise number of individuals affected by these interview delays remains unclear.
Immigration attorney criticizes H1B visa rescheduling
Emily Neumann, a Houston-based immigration lawyer, condemned the cancellation of H1B visa appointments in India.
“Visa stamping feels like a maze of pitfalls right now. Now, appointments are getting cancelled without warning and pushed out by months. There is no predictability in this process, and it is creating real challenges for businesses and employees who need to travel,” she wrote in an X post.
The Donald Trump administration has been tightening the H-1B visa program as part of its broader immigration scrutiny policies. Social media posts and profiles of visa applicants now face increased examination.
The H-1B visa program allows companies to hire foreign workers with specialized expertise to work in the United States, initially for three years with the possibility of a three-year extension.
Read more: H-1B And H-4 Visa : Interview Dates Now Further Postponed To October 2026
Indians accounted for approximately 71 percent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
In September, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation increasing the H-1B visa fee to $100,000.
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