Late on 10 December, the US Embassy in India triggered widespread disruption by cancelling or rescheduling H-1B and H-4 visa interviews originally set for mid-December and pushing many to March 2026. The move precedes a 15 December policy that requires officers to review applicants’ public social-media history before adjudication. Mission India warned candidates not to appear on their original dates, stating they would be denied entry.
Impact on mobility: Immigration law firm Fragomen estimates nearly 7,500 appointments were affected in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad alone. Corporates with quarter-end US deployments now face billable-hour losses and potential project delays. Families are split as some H-4 dependants remain in India while principal H-1B holders are already in the US.
![US Consulates Cancel Hundreds of H-1B Interviews, Issue Advisory to Indian Applicants Amid Social-Media Vetting Roll-out]()
Visa facilitation firm VisaHQ can help navigate this crunch by continuously monitoring appointment availability, flagging earlier openings and assisting with documentation updates; their India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers real-time alerts and dedicated support teams that coordinate with consular posts, potentially saving employers and travellers precious days during rescheduling.
Compliance advice: • Instruct employees to monitor the CGI Federal portal daily for new slot notifications. • Review I-797 validity—those nearing expiry may need refiling. • Ensure social-media profiles are public, consistent and free of contentious posts; discrepancies could invite Security Advisory Opinions.
Broader context: The US State Department says the enhanced screening is part of a global roll-out after a 2024 GAO report flagged gaps in social-media vetting. Indian tech-sector lobby NASSCOM has requested a phased implementation to avoid economic fallout.
Impact on mobility: Immigration law firm Fragomen estimates nearly 7,500 appointments were affected in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad alone. Corporates with quarter-end US deployments now face billable-hour losses and potential project delays. Families are split as some H-4 dependants remain in India while principal H-1B holders are already in the US.
Visa facilitation firm VisaHQ can help navigate this crunch by continuously monitoring appointment availability, flagging earlier openings and assisting with documentation updates; their India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers real-time alerts and dedicated support teams that coordinate with consular posts, potentially saving employers and travellers precious days during rescheduling.
Compliance advice: • Instruct employees to monitor the CGI Federal portal daily for new slot notifications. • Review I-797 validity—those nearing expiry may need refiling. • Ensure social-media profiles are public, consistent and free of contentious posts; discrepancies could invite Security Advisory Opinions.
Broader context: The US State Department says the enhanced screening is part of a global roll-out after a 2024 GAO report flagged gaps in social-media vetting. Indian tech-sector lobby NASSCOM has requested a phased implementation to avoid economic fallout.
