H-1B Visa Delays: Thousands of professionals who arrived in India between December and February have had their appointments abruptly canceled. Reports indicate that in many cases, the new dates have been pushed back to mid-2026 or 2027. These are individuals who have lived in the US for years and established families there. Being away from the office for so long is a cause for concern about losing their jobs.
H-1B Visa Crisis: Thousands of Indian professionals working in the US are currently in dire straits. American embassies have abruptly canceled appointments for these individuals who came to India to renew their visas. They are now being given dates months, even years, later, putting their return to the US and their jobs in jeopardy.
Social media’s ‘deep scrutiny’ became the reason
The US State Department has implemented “Online Presence Review” under new directives from the Trump administration. Visa officers are now required to closely examine applicants’ social media accounts. This new and rigorous process is proving time-consuming, leading to the postponement of interview dates.
Dates received till 2026-27
Thousands of professionals who arrived in India between December and February have had their appointments abruptly canceled. Reports indicate that in many cases, the new dates have been pushed back to mid-2026 or 2027. These individuals have lived in the US for years and established families there. They are currently unable to return due to their visas expiring.
Job and career crisis
Immigration lawyers say the delays have disrupted people’s lives. According to a prominent US immigration firm, at least 100 of their clients are stranded in India. Most of those affected are tech workers in their 30s and 40s. Being away from the office for so long is a threat to their jobs.
Legal experts in Atlanta and India say that these sudden regulations have hit IT professionals, who have been contributing to the US economy for years, the hardest. Not only primary workers, but their families (H-4 visa holders) are also stuck in India amid this uncertainty.
