H-1B visa checks push interviews to March 2026: What Indians must know

Fresh US vetting rules have led to widespread H-1B interview delays in India, with many December slots moved to March and applicants barred from arriving on old dates

The US State Department’s new social media checks have caused a fresh round of disruption for H-1B applicants in India, with many visa interviews now pushed into next year. The delay has created uncertainty for workers hoping to travel to the United States during the coming months.

 

The US Embassy in India issued a late-night advisory on Tuesday, telling applicants that fresh instructions would apply immediately. “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,” it said.

 

The Embassy added that applicants who still turn up on their original interview date after receiving a reschedule notice will not be allowed inside. “Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate,” it said.

 

 

What has changed for appointments

 

Interviews booked for mid to late December are being shifted to March, though the Embassy has not confirmed how many interviews are affected so far.

 

Lawyers in the United States say they have already seen signs of a slowdown.

 

An attorney from Reddy Neumann Brown PC, Steven Brown, said in a post on X, “Mission India confirms what we have been hearing. They have cancelled a number of appointments in the coming weeks and rescheduled them for March to allow for the social media vetting.”

 

Another partner at the firm, Emily Neumann, described the situation as increasingly unpredictable. “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,” she wrote while sharing the Embassy notice.

 

What the new vetting rules involve

 

The US government has expanded screening rules for H-1B workers and their H-4 dependants, instructing them to keep their social media profiles open to the public. Officers will review posts, connections and activity from December 15 to determine whether an applicant could be inadmissible or pose a security risk.

 

Students and exchange visitors were already under similar examination.

 

“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the State Department said.

 

Wider tightening of H-1B scrutiny

 

The social media review follows several measures taken this year under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Key steps include:

 

• A one-time charge of $100,000 on new H-1B applications announced in September

• A pause on Green Card, US citizenship and other processing for individuals from 19 countries of concern following the shooting involving an Afghan national

 

Indian professionals make up a large share of H-1B applicants, and these changes have added pressure to a system that many already found slow and uncertain.