H-1B vetting: 'End of career', say applicants as hundreds of Indians stuck

New US social media vetting rule forces mass rescheduling, leaving H-1B workers stuck in India and employers scrambling for answers

H-1B visa applicants in India on Tuesday began receiving emails informing them that their consular appointments scheduled for this week had been rescheduled. For many, the new dates have been pushed to March 2026.

 

The development comes as US immigration authorities buy time to implement a new social media vetting rule, which takes effect from December 15, 2025. Under the rule, visa officers will review all social media accounts of applicants to check whether an individual has made any negative posts about the United States.

 

Panic spread quickly as the US Embassy in India confirmed that appointments were being rescheduled.

 

 

“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 Consulate,” the embassy message said.

  H-1B holders now stranded as appointments move to 2026

 

Hundreds of H-1B visa holders now find themselves stuck in India after the US State Department cancelled most December visa appointments and shifted them to early 2026.

 

As frustration grew, a request from one Reddit user went viral. The user appealed to Indians currently in the US to voluntarily cancel their January or February appointments so that those stranded in India could get earlier slots. The post struck a chord online, as the scale of the disruption left even immigration lawyers struggling to offer clear guidance.

 

Several applicants said they had travelled to India solely for visa stamping and were now unsure how long they would be forced to stay back. 

 

Why are workers calling this ‘the end of my career’?

 

One Reddit user described the situation as devastating.

 

“I am stuck in India, have biometrics this week. I used all my leaves to come for stamping. My employer cannot allow me to work remotely. This is the end of my career, worked so hard to get a job and build my life so far, everything is gone with one single decision. I don’t know what to do since it is moved to May 2025, and I will certainly lose my job. This is the end of all my hardwork and dreams,” the person wrote.

 

Another user said their visa appointment at the Chennai consulate scheduled for December 18 was cancelled soon after biometrics on Tuesday.

 

“This is new uncharted territory for everyone. I think you and everyone else should reach out to your employer and their immigration firms, solicit their advice and come back to this group with the advice provided by the lawyers. Only after a good sample set of advice received from various employers and lawyers, will we able to make sense of what the next steps can be,” the user wrote.

 

Some applicants said they had already wrapped up their lives in the US before travelling to India and were now unable to stay back until their rescheduled dates in 2026. 

 

Immigration lawyers expect job losses

 

US-based immigration attorney Ellen Freeman wrote on LinkedIn that the impact on workers would be severe.

 

“H-1B workers will lose their jobs now that they are stuck in India,” Freeman wrote, adding that the US economy would also feel the strain.

 

“We have to plead with employers to let them either work from India or take prolonged leave of absence for as many as 5 months. In this economic environment and with the deliverables pressure, many employers will not be able to wait. People left their apartment leases, utility bills, car payments in the US. The prolonged delay in these visa cancellations will have a devastating effect on our communities and economy. There are human stories behind each visa cancellation and its harsh impact on our colleagues, clients, friends, relatives,” she said.

 

Emily Neumann of Reddy Neumann Brown PC said the situation had become unpredictable for both businesses and workers.

 

“Visa stamping feels like a maze of pitfalls right now. Now, appointments are getting canceled 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,” Neumann said.

 

What advice are lawyers giving to H-1B workers planning travel?

 

Immigration attorney Rebecca Chen advised Indian H-1B holders to avoid travelling to India for now amid the mass rescheduling of visa appointments. In a blog post, Chen said even those who have not yet received rescheduling emails should postpone travel.

 

According to immigration lawyers, applicants should keep the following in mind:

 

• If you are in the US and need a visa stamp only to re-enter, avoid travelling to India at this stage.

• Visa stamping is required for entry into the US and does not determine legal status inside the country.

• Those already in India without a valid stamp may have no option other than waiting for their rescheduled appointment.

 

For many caught in the disruption, the uncertainty has upended work, housing, and family plans on both sides of the border.