Indian H-1B visa holders stranded as US delays interviews
US visa delays hit Indian H-1B holders as social media vetting forces interview rescheduling and leaves workers stranded in India
A large number of Indian H-1B visa holders who returned to the country to renew their work permit earlier in December have become stranded due to the US State Department's new social media vetting policy, causing significant delay in their visa appointments.
According to media reports, the workers whose visa interviews were scheduled between December 15 and 26 have been pushed back to March next year.
"This is the biggest mess we have seen. I'm not sure there is a plan," an immigration attorney in India, Veena Vijay Ananth, told The Washington Post.
What the US State Department said
According to a NDTV report, a man working in Detroit suburbs who came to India for a wedding had his consular appointments scheduled on December 17 and 23 , but they expired due to the Trump administration’s new social media vetting policy.
Also Read: US visa delays push H-1B, H-4 interviews to late 2026, leaving Indians in limbo: Reports
The US State Department have reportedly informed the consular interview candidates that the interviews were delayed due to the new social media vetting policy, adding that it aims to ensure no applicants pose a threat to the US national security or public safety.
Warning to visa applicants
Earlier on December 9, the US Embassy in India warned visa applicants that if they arrive at the consulate on a pre-scheduled interview date, despite being informed about the rescheduling due to the new social media vetting policy will be denied entry.
"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," it said as quoted by NDTV.
The report further stated that according to a report by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in April, India accounts for 71 per cent of H-1B visa holders.
Google, Apple warn employees
Meanwhile, tech giants Google and Apple have warned a section of employees not to travel outside the US after coming to know that US visa re-entry processing at American embassies and consulates is experiencing long delays that can be as long as a year, the Business Insider reported, citing internal memos.
In an email to affected staff, Google's external counsel, BAL Immigration La,w asked them to avoid foreign trips due to the delay in visa interviews and warned that they could "risk an extended stay outside the US."