No H-1B visa slots available; US 'playing games' on vetting, says expert

Indian H-1B visa holders face long waits for stamping as US consulates show no available slots for 2026, with some appointments now pushed into 2027

Indian professionals trying to secure H-1B visa stamping appointments are facing long delays, with no regular interview slots available across US consulates in India for most of 2026. In several cases, appointments are now being pushed into 2027.

 

Many have taken to social media to track slot availability. In one such case, a Reddit user wrote, “I’ve an approved I-797A (H-1B extension) and I’m desperately looking for visa slots to travel around April/May timeframe this year. I know right now there are absolutely no slots available but any idea if any slots going to open soon? Any tips or tricks to avail slot?”

   

Immigration attorneys say there is little clarity on when the situation may improve.

 

“The government’s playing games with social media vetting. And we have no ETA on when [they] are coming back,” Rosanna Berardi told The San Francisco Standard on Monday. “These are individuals who were lawfully in the US.”

 

Earlier this year, immigration attorney Emily Neumann said in a post on X that she had not seen any new visa interview slots open for India in the past 50 days.

 

“They are not in any hurry to give you a visa. They are trying to deny visas whenever they can. It is a completely different world from what we saw during the Biden administration. This administration does not want to give you visa,” Neumann said.

 

What is causing the delay

 

The delays trace back to December 2025, when US consulates rescheduled visa interviews originally set for that month to March 2026 for additional social media vetting. Those appointments were later moved again to October 2026. In recent weeks, several applicants have seen their interview dates pushed further into 2027.

 

Applicants planning short trips to India for visa stamping now face the risk of being stranded outside the US for months, affecting jobs, family plans, and immigration status.

 

What ‘NA’ on the appointment system means

 

According to the official portal of the US Department of State, interview-required petition-based visa categories, including H, L, O, P and Q, now show the next available appointment as ‘NA’.

 

• It means no regular interview slots are currently available

• The system stops showing wait times when all slots are booked

• Applicants cannot select or book any interview date until slots reopen