India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on December 27 that it has lodged a formal complaint with Washington after thousands of pre-scheduled H-1B and H-4 visa interviews in India were abruptly postponed—some to May 2026. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi attributed the reshuffle to a new policy, effective December 15, that requires consular officers to review five years of applicants’ social-media activity before stamping work visas.
The timing could not be worse for multinational employers. Many H-1B professionals took year-end trips home expecting to renew visas over the holidays; instead they are now stranded and unable to return to U.S. projects. IT-services majors, global banks and Bay-Area tech firms have begun activating remote-work contingency plans, but client-delivery deadlines in Q1 2026 are at risk.
The MEA said it is “actively engaged” with U.S. counterparts to minimise disruption, yet U.S. officials maintain that national-security screening will dictate interview pacing. The backlog compounds other 2025 policy shifts, including a weighted H-1B selection system and a proposed US$100,000 filing fee that is being litigated in U.S. courts.
![India Protests Sudden H-1B Interview Cancellations as U.S. Expands Social-Media Vetting]()
Businesses and travelers navigating these shifting requirements can streamline planning through VisaHQ, which monitors real-time consular updates and facilitates document review and appointment scheduling worldwide. Its U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers step-by-step guidance for H-class and dependent visas, optional form-preparation services and automated alerts—tools that can help mitigate surprises such as mass reschedulings while keeping mobility timelines on track.
Immigration attorneys advise employers to halt all non-essential international travel for H-1B holders without valid visas and to explore in-country status-extension options (Form I-129) where feasible. Companies should also prepare to evidence employees’ online presence, as negative social-media flags—even likes or shares—can trigger lengthy “administrative processing.”
Strategically, mobility leaders may need to accelerate near-shore hub development (e.g., Canada or Mexico) and diversify talent pipelines to hedge against U.S. consular unpredictability. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Washington to increase consular staffing or risk eroding the global competitiveness of the U.S. innovation economy.
The timing could not be worse for multinational employers. Many H-1B professionals took year-end trips home expecting to renew visas over the holidays; instead they are now stranded and unable to return to U.S. projects. IT-services majors, global banks and Bay-Area tech firms have begun activating remote-work contingency plans, but client-delivery deadlines in Q1 2026 are at risk.
The MEA said it is “actively engaged” with U.S. counterparts to minimise disruption, yet U.S. officials maintain that national-security screening will dictate interview pacing. The backlog compounds other 2025 policy shifts, including a weighted H-1B selection system and a proposed US$100,000 filing fee that is being litigated in U.S. courts.
Businesses and travelers navigating these shifting requirements can streamline planning through VisaHQ, which monitors real-time consular updates and facilitates document review and appointment scheduling worldwide. Its U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers step-by-step guidance for H-class and dependent visas, optional form-preparation services and automated alerts—tools that can help mitigate surprises such as mass reschedulings while keeping mobility timelines on track.
Immigration attorneys advise employers to halt all non-essential international travel for H-1B holders without valid visas and to explore in-country status-extension options (Form I-129) where feasible. Companies should also prepare to evidence employees’ online presence, as negative social-media flags—even likes or shares—can trigger lengthy “administrative processing.”
Strategically, mobility leaders may need to accelerate near-shore hub development (e.g., Canada or Mexico) and diversify talent pipelines to hedge against U.S. consular unpredictability. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Washington to increase consular staffing or risk eroding the global competitiveness of the U.S. innovation economy.
