An alarming case reported on Saturday details how an Indian software engineer who flew home on 2 November for a family medical emergency received an email from the US Department of State on 15 December revoking his H-1B visa without explanation. The notice instructed him to apply for a new visa before re-entry, effectively stranding him in India despite a confirmed return ticket for 23 December. Community groups say at least 37 similar revocation notices hit Indian H-1B holders this month.
Immigration lawyers note that consular officers may revoke visas if they believe an individual is no longer eligible, but bulk, no-reason revocations are rare. Many recipients had clean immigration histories and active employment. Rumours point to a policy review targeting employers flagged for earlier compliance breaches, yet the notices cite no employer wrongdoing.
![Sudden H-1B visa revocations leave Indians stranded overseas]()
Amid this uncertainty, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can help stranded professionals rapidly assemble the paperwork for fresh visa appointments. The company offers real-time requirement checks, document courier services, and appointment-scheduling support—tools that can save precious days when a sudden revocation forces you to re-apply from abroad.
The episode is generating anxiety among the 1 million-plus Indians on temporary US work visas. Travel forums now advise postponing trips abroad unless “mission-critical.” HR departments of tech multinationals are rushing to map employee travel and create contingency plans—such as remote-work options from India or Mexico—for staff who may be caught outside the United States.
Corporate mobility managers should brief affected employees on documenting ties to their US jobs (pay slips, client letters) and encourage registration with the local embassy’s STEP programme. Legal counsel also recommends filing a “Request for Reconsideration” within 30 days of receiving a revocation notice to prevent automatic cancellation of the underlying petition.
Immigration lawyers note that consular officers may revoke visas if they believe an individual is no longer eligible, but bulk, no-reason revocations are rare. Many recipients had clean immigration histories and active employment. Rumours point to a policy review targeting employers flagged for earlier compliance breaches, yet the notices cite no employer wrongdoing.
Amid this uncertainty, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can help stranded professionals rapidly assemble the paperwork for fresh visa appointments. The company offers real-time requirement checks, document courier services, and appointment-scheduling support—tools that can save precious days when a sudden revocation forces you to re-apply from abroad.
The episode is generating anxiety among the 1 million-plus Indians on temporary US work visas. Travel forums now advise postponing trips abroad unless “mission-critical.” HR departments of tech multinationals are rushing to map employee travel and create contingency plans—such as remote-work options from India or Mexico—for staff who may be caught outside the United States.
Corporate mobility managers should brief affected employees on documenting ties to their US jobs (pay slips, client letters) and encourage registration with the local embassy’s STEP programme. Legal counsel also recommends filing a “Request for Reconsideration” within 30 days of receiving a revocation notice to prevent automatic cancellation of the underlying petition.
