US visa delays up to 10 months: Woes of stranded H-1B holders explained

Indian professionals returning home for visa renewals face months-long delays as expanded US social media checks disrupt consular processing

Indian H-1B visa holders who travelled back this month to renew their American work permits have been left stranded after US consular offices abruptly rescheduled their appointments.

 

Lawyers say interviews were cancelled between December 15 and 26, a period overlapping with the US holiday season. Emails reviewed by The Washington Post show the State Department informed visa holders that interviews were being delayed following the rollout of the Trump administration’s expanded social media vetting policy, introduced “to ensure that no applicants pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety”.

 

What changed with social media checks for H-1B visas?

 

 

On December 10, the US Embassy in India confirmed that the United States had widened its review of social media and online activity to cover all H-1B specialty occupation workers and their H-4 dependants.

 

A US Embassy spokesperson said the Department of State already carries out online presence checks for student and exchange visitor visas under the F, M and J categories. From December 15, the same scrutiny was extended to H-1B and H-4 applicants.

 

The timing has caused problems for Indian professionals who travelled for weddings, family visits or routine visa renewals and are now unable to return.

 

How many Indian H-1B workers are affected?

 

Emily Neumann, a partner at Houston-based immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC, said on social media she had at least 100 clients currently stranded in India. Veena Vijay Ananth, an immigration lawyer based in India, and Atlanta-based attorney Charles Kuck told Washington Post they were each handling around a dozen similar cases.

 

“This is the biggest mess we have seen. I’m not sure there is a plan,” Ananth said.

 

A State Department spokesperson said consular priorities had shifted. “While in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else,” the spokesperson said.

 

According to an April 2025 report by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Indians account for 71 per cent of H-1B visa holders.

 

How do wider H-1B restrictions add to the uncertainty?

 

The delays come amid broader restrictions on the H-1B programme. In July, the State Department announced that H-1B holders and their H-4 dependants would no longer be able to renew visas in third countries from September 2. On September 19, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications, The Washington Post reported.

 

The newspaper cited an Indian man living in the Detroit suburbs who travelled to India in early December for a wedding. His consular appointments scheduled for December 17 and 23 were later cancelled, leaving him unable to return to the United States.

 

Neumann questioned how long employers would wait. “How long are companies going to be willing to wait for these people?” she asked.

 

Are social media checks being used to block entries?

 

Immigration lawyer Rahul Reddy said the expanded social media checks were being applied as a way to restrict entries rather than as a routine screening step.

 

“The social media vetting is just an excuse to cut candidates off,” Reddy said.

 

He said formal changes to non-immigrant visa programmes require Congressional approval, which can be slow, but border enforcement operates differently.

 

“If the Donald Trump administration wants to change something in non-immigrant visa programmes, it will take a long time because it has to go through Congress,” Reddy said. “But the Trump administration is more powerful at the border, and when a visa holder is outside the country, it can stop anyone from coming in.”

 

What does the $100,000 H-1B fee cover?

 

Under the September 19 proclamation, a $100,000 fee applies to every new H-1B petition filed after the deadline, including entries into the 2026 lottery. The US State Department has said current visa holders and petitions submitted before that date are not affected.

 

The fee applies only to individuals or companies filing new H-1B petitions or entering the lottery after September 21.

 

What options do stranded applicants have now?

 

The US Department of State has acknowledged long appointment delays at American embassies and consulates worldwide, including in India, with processing times stretching up to 12 months due to enhanced screening. In a statement to Business Insider, a State Department spokesperson said consular offices are now “prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else” rather than focusing on reducing wait times.

 

Applicants can request expedited appointments on a case-by-case basis, and interview dates may shift as resources change. The expanded process requires detailed online presence reviews, extending timelines well beyond past norms.

 

Applicants have been advised to keep several factors in mind:

 

1. Staying employed with the current H-1B sponsor is critical while outside the US

2. Employers may hesitate to file new petitions due to the $100,000 H-1B fee

3. Emergency appointments can be requested but approvals remain limited

4. Visa stamping affects re-entry, not legal status inside the US

5. Travel plans may need reconsideration until interview backlogs ease

 

For many affected workers, the delays have disrupted jobs, housing arrangements and family commitments across borders, with no clear indication of when routine visa processing will stabilise.