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US consulates canceled hundreds of appointments in December amid the new digital checks, causing long delays for H-1B holders in India.
Many H-1B workers were affected by the sudden cancellation or delay of visa appointments. (Photo Credit: Representative Image)
Hundreds of Indian H-1B visa holders who traveled home for routine visa stamping in December are left stranded Their consular appointments were abruptly canceled and pushed back to 2026 and, in some cases, 2027.
Coincides with the start of the disruption Expanded social-media screening And there has been a sharp decline in the number of interviews conducted daily by US missions. What was expected to be a short holiday season of travel has turned into an open-ended wait for many, with families separated and jobs at risk.
December has always been one of the busiest months for H-1B renewals due to reduced work obligations in the United States and office closures around Christmas and New Year. Thousands of Indian professionals schedule their travel accordingly. Instead, their appointments were canceled with little warning, leaving them unsure when they would be able to return.
What is the reason for sudden cancellation of appointments?
From the second week of December, applicants with interview dates between December 15 and 26 started receiving rescheduling notices. The change came just days before the new requirement of “online presence review” was implemented on December 15, when US consulates in India canceled appointments and issued new dates months or years later.
US Embassy in India on December 9 Applicants were advised publicly If they have received a rescheduling email warning that they will be denied entry to the Embassy or Consulate on their old date, they should not attend their previously scheduled appointments. This also applies to those who had already made travel arrangements to another city for their interview.
Applicants were informed that the number of interviews per day had been reduced due to “operational constraints”. This reduction was linked to new screening processes that required more time per applicant, resulting in fewer interviews being conducted per day.
In many cases, appointments that were secured months ago were rescheduled to dates between March and June 2026. One applicant got new appointment in 2027.
The State Department has stated that “every visa decision is a national security decision”, and that consulates are now prioritizing thorough vetting over speed.
Why was its impact felt more strongly on India?
71 percent of all H-1B visa holders are in India, making it the nationality most affected by the slowing down of the process. December is the month when large numbers of Indian workers return for stamping, further exacerbating the impact of the delay.
The disruption appeared to be India-specific as US consulates operate independently with their own staffing, workload and system requirements. Operational issues, such as capacity limits, IT updates or staff shortages, are post-specific and not global. Similar large-scale rescheduling has occurred in Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Brazil and parts of Europe, but the consequences have been more pronounced due to India’s extremely high visa volume.
Affected people in India received rescheduling notices, but not everyone was affected. Only those applicants whose appointments were made within the affected period received the cancellation.
When a post with unusually high demand, such as India, reduces its number of daily appointments due to screening changes or internal updates, a large number of applicants are immediately affected.
Why can’t employees return to the US without being stamped?
Although H-1B status is approved within the United States, re-entry requires a valid visa stamp issued at a consulate in the foreign country. Workers must obtain this stamp when:
- Renewing your visa after the initial three-year or six-year cycle,
- Changing employer and requiring a new stamp, or
- Traveling for the first time after the change in the situation inside America.
Without this stamp, they cannot board the return flight. Exceptions such as automatic revalidation do not apply in these circumstances.
What impact is the backlog having on workers and families?
The cancellation has stranded mid-career professionals who have established their lives in the United States. Many people have mortgages, children in school and long-term roles that depend on their physical presence.
An engineer based in Detroit traveled to India for a family event, scheduling visa interviews on December 17 and 23. Both were cancelled, and his new appointment was scheduled for 2 July 2026. While he was in India his visa expired, leaving him unable to return. His employer subsequently obtained expedited appointment by submitting documents expediting major projects the following year.
Immigration lawyers have called the situation one of the most serious failures in H-1B processing in years. “This is the biggest mess we’ve seen,” one said, adding, “I’m not sure there’s a plan.” Another reported handling “at least 100 customers stranded in India”.
Families are struggling to decide whether to keep children enrolled in schools abroad or bring them back to India. Some employees are separated from their spouses who reside in the United States.
Companies are also being affected. Technology companies have issued a warning advising visa-dependent employees to avoid international travel as the backlog of appointments could extend up to 12 months. Google’s outside legal counsel Earlier this year, employees were advised not to travel abroad if visa stamping was required. Alphabet issued similar instructions in early September.
Executives are finding it difficult to plan staffing and project timelines because they can’t predict when employees will be able to return.
How do the new social-media reviews work?
Under the expanded digital screening, consular officers now check an applicant’s online presence as part of the security review. This includes looking at social-media activity to ensure it aligns with the information provided in the application and does not raise any concerns related to public safety or national security.
This level of scrutiny was already in place for student and exchange-visitor visas. Now it has been applied to H-1B and H-4 workers and their dependents. Because reviews require more time per case, the consulates have reduced the number of interviews conducted each day.
Weeks before the new rule took effect, visa applicants were also instructed to adjust their social-media privacy settings, indicating the depth of the expected review.
Why do H-1B holders need to travel to India for stamping?
H-1B workers typically need a travel abroad stamp when renewing their visa, changing employers and requiring a new stamp, or when traveling internationally for the first time after changing status inside the US. Although their immigration status is legal, the visa stamp is what allows them to re-enter the United States.
Many Indian citizens travel to India because it is their home hub and because the consulates there regularly process large numbers of H-1B workers. For some people, travel is also combined with personal visits.
Stamping is required for return travel and cannot be done from within the US.
What options do stranded workers have now?
- Attend the rescheduled appointment – Those for whom new dates have been issued will have to wait for it. They cannot enter the United States without a valid visa stamp.
- Request an early appointment – Emergency appointments may only be granted in exceptional circumstances, such as urgent work needs, humanitarian issues or medical conditions. Approval is not guaranteed and requires strong documentation.
- Work away from India – Many H-1B holders continue to work remotely if their employers allow it. This is legally acceptable, provided payroll compliance and tax obligations are properly managed.
Affected people have been told that the rescheduled dates provided to them are the dates on which they will be given assistance, and they should not appear on earlier dates.
what lies ahead?
The delay comes alongside sweeping immigration-related measures introduced this year. These include a US$100,000 fee on new H-1B applications submitted after September 21 and a rule introduced in July that requires H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents to return to their home country for renewal rather than using third-country consulates.
Separately, the US government halted green-card, citizenship and other immigration applications for individuals from 19 “countries of concern” following a security incident. India is not among them.
At the moment, thousands of employees are dependent on the limited possibility of getting their rescheduled appointments or early dates. With no alternative route for visa stamping and no sign of immediate relief, people who came to India for the routine process in December are facing an uncertain and extended stay.
December 22, 2025, 15:36 IST
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