Hundreds of H-1B specialty-occupation workers and their H-4 dependents received abrupt cancellation notices this week informing them that visa interviews booked for mid- to late-December 2025 have been rescheduled to dates in March 2026. In a message circulated on December 9, U.S. consular posts explained that, effective December 15, all H-1B/H-4 applicants must make their social-media accounts public so officers can examine online activity before issuing a visa.
The new screening protocol follows an August rule that already tightened the definition of ‘specialty occupation’ and introduced a one-time US$100,000 filing fee for new petitions. Immigration firm Fragomen reports that consulates will slash daily interview slots to accommodate the extra vetting time, creating a cascading backlog throughout the first quarter of 2026.
![H-1B & H-4 Interviews Pushed to March 2026 as Consulates Add Mandatory Social-Media Review]()
For employers, the sudden shift strands foreign hires who had timed travel, onboarding or project transitions around December visas. Tech and consulting companies that rely heavily on the H-1B route are warning of delayed start dates, client-delivery risks, and added relocation costs. Human-resources teams are now advising affected staff to maintain status abroad or to negotiate remote assignments until March.
Indian nationals—who account for nearly 70 percent of H-1B demand—are hit hardest. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi issued a separate advisory instructing applicants to arrive only on their new appointment dates; anyone showing up on a cancelled slot will be refused entry to the consulate. Legal counsel recommend checking appointment portals daily, keeping proof of biometrics completion, and budgeting for longer stays outside the United States.
The new screening protocol follows an August rule that already tightened the definition of ‘specialty occupation’ and introduced a one-time US$100,000 filing fee for new petitions. Immigration firm Fragomen reports that consulates will slash daily interview slots to accommodate the extra vetting time, creating a cascading backlog throughout the first quarter of 2026.
For employers, the sudden shift strands foreign hires who had timed travel, onboarding or project transitions around December visas. Tech and consulting companies that rely heavily on the H-1B route are warning of delayed start dates, client-delivery risks, and added relocation costs. Human-resources teams are now advising affected staff to maintain status abroad or to negotiate remote assignments until March.
Indian nationals—who account for nearly 70 percent of H-1B demand—are hit hardest. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi issued a separate advisory instructing applicants to arrive only on their new appointment dates; anyone showing up on a cancelled slot will be refused entry to the consulate. Legal counsel recommend checking appointment portals daily, keeping proof of biometrics completion, and budgeting for longer stays outside the United States.
