No H-1B visa slots for Indians in 2026 as US 'not in a hurry to give visas'

With no new interview dates showing up, Indian professionals are being warned against travelling home for visa stamping

No new H-1B visa stamping dates are available for the rest of this calendar year, with fresh interview slots now being pushed into 2027, disrupting travel plans for Indian professionals working in the US. Visa offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata no longer show regular interview availability.

 

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. She warned H-1B holders currently in the US against travelling to India for stamping.

 

“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 ‘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’.

 

This indicates that there are no standard interview slots available for these categories. When all regular slots are fully booked, the system stops displaying wait times and instead shows ‘NA’, signalling that applicants cannot book an interview date.

 

How appointments slipped into 2027

 

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

 

Applicants who had planned short trips to India for stamping are now facing the prospect of being stuck outside the US for months, affecting employment, family plans and immigration status.

 

Policy shifts slowing down processing 

Several policy changes have added pressure to an already stretched system.

 

On December 15, 2025, the US introduced mandatory social media screening for employment-based visa applicants. The additional checks increased the time spent on each application, reducing the number of interviews consulates can conduct daily.

 

The US State Department has also ended the option that allowed Indian nationals to apply for visa stamping in third countries. With that route closed, demand has been funnelled entirely to Indian consulates, worsening the backlog.

 

Changes to the H-1B lottery framework 

The backlog has emerged alongside changes to the H-1B programme itself. On December 29, 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services published new rules for the 2027 financial year.

 

The annual cap remains at 85,000 visas, including 20,000 reserved for applicants with US postgraduate degrees. However, the lottery process has been reworked to place greater weight on salary and experience levels.

 

Under the revised system:

• Level IV workers receive four lottery entries

• Level III workers receive three entries

• Level II workers receive two entries

• Level I workers receive one entry

 

The lottery is scheduled to open in early March.

 

Impact on employers and workers

 

US employers across technology, healthcare and higher education rely heavily on H-1B professionals for specialised roles. Extended travel restrictions have delayed projects, disrupted team structures and increased costs.

 

Some companies are allowing limited remote work or temporarily reallocating responsibilities. Others, including Indian IT firms with large US operations, have stepped up hiring of American citizens to manage risk and ensure continuity.

 

Immigration lawyers say the prolonged uncertainty is reshaping how companies plan global mobility, particularly for employees who need visa stamping to maintain lawful status while travelling.