Hundreds of H-1B visa holders face uncertainty after travelling to India earlier this month to renew US work permits. Consular interviews scheduled between December 15 and December 26 were abruptly postponed to next year, leaving many workers unable to return to jobs across the United States.
Several immigration law firms report large numbers of affected clients. Interviews planned for mid to late December now stand deferred until March next year. The timing coincides with the US holiday season, compounding travel and employment disruption.
Veena Vijay Ananth, an immigration attorney based in India, described the situation as unprecedented. Speaking to The Washington Post, she said many legal teams remain unclear about any structured resolution plan.
One worker from the Detroit suburbs travelled to India for a family wedding earlier this month. Consular interviews scheduled for December 17 and December 23 later expired without notice. Immigration experts warn employers face difficult decisions on how long overseas staff absences remain workable.
The US State Department informed affected applicants by email that interview delays stem from a new social media vetting policy. The policy aims to ensure applicants pose no risk to national security or public safety.
On December 9, the US Embassy in India issued a public advisory. Applicants arriving for previously scheduled interviews after receiving rescheduling notices face denial of entry. Mission India stated assistance would resume only on newly assigned dates.
India accounts for 71 percent of all H-1B visa holders, according to an April report from US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The scale of disruption places Indian professionals at the center of ongoing processing delays.
Major US technology firms responded swiftly. Google and Apple advised certain employees to avoid international travel. Business Insider reported internal memos warning of re-entry delays stretching up to 12 months.
Google’s external counsel, BAL Immigration Law, urged employees to reconsider travel plans. The advisory warned international trips risk extended stays outside the United States due to severe appointment backlogs.
The Donald Trump administration recently expanded enhanced screening for H-1B and H-4 applicants. Officials now review social media profiles after directing applicants to switch privacy settings to public. Students and exchange visitors already faced similar scrutiny, which now extends to foreign workers.
The State Department emphasized every visa decision carries national security weight. The H-1B program continues to face mounting pressure. In September, President Donald Trump imposed a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, a move expected to affect Indian professionals seeking US employment.
Additional restrictions followed. US authorities paused Green Card, citizenship, and select immigration applications from 19 countries of concern after a deadly shooting involving an Afghan national.
