In a further blow to global talent mobility, U.S. consulates across India have now opened the first available H-1B visa-stamping appointments for mid-2027, according to a January 25 investigation by The Sunday Guardian. Visa applicants report that dates previously rescheduled for March and October 2026 were abruptly rolled forward another twelve months after consular sections in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata re-calibrated capacity models. (sundayguardianlive.com)
Consular officials blame a confluence of factors: staff shortages, lingering COVID-era backlogs and a raft of policy changes that lengthen each interview. Chief among them is USCIS’s December 2025 final rule that transforms the FY 2027 H-1B cap selection into a weighted lottery favouring higher-wage roles. While that rule officially takes effect on February 27, it has already triggered a flood of employer enquiries and document revisions. At the same time, the State Department ended “third-country” stamping for Indian nationals, forcing all applicants back into India’s overburdened posts.
The practical fallout is severe. Technology, healthcare and engineering firms that rotate staff between India and U.S. offices warn of postponed projects, contractual penalties and morale issues as employees remain stuck offshore. Some companies are pressing for expanded domestic visa-renewal pilots or remote work arrangements to bridge the gap, but these work-arounds do not suit roles that require on-site presence or security clearances.
![H-1B Interview Slots in India Pushed to 2027 as New U.S. Rules and Backlogs Collide]()
For organizations and travelers trying to stay ahead of these shifting timelines, VisaHQ can simplify the maze. Its online platform—complete with real-time U.S. visa alerts, document checklists and appointment-booking tools—helps users jump on newly released slots and keep paperwork flawless, all from a single dashboard. Explore the service at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
Experts recommend that mobility teams triage upcoming travel: avoid non-urgent trips that would require visa renewal abroad; explore alternative classifications such as L-1 blanket petitions for intra-company transferees; and budget for premium-processing upgrades where available. Employers should also factor in the new wage-weighted lottery when setting FY 2027 hiring budgets—raising salaries may improve selection odds but will inflate labour costs.
Long-term, business groups are lobbying the U.S. administration for additional consular staffing, expanded interview waivers for repeat travellers and a larger annual H-1B quota. Without relief, recruiters warn that global talent could drift toward friendlier destinations like Australia’s Global Talent Visa or Canada’s H-1B open work permit pathway.
Consular officials blame a confluence of factors: staff shortages, lingering COVID-era backlogs and a raft of policy changes that lengthen each interview. Chief among them is USCIS’s December 2025 final rule that transforms the FY 2027 H-1B cap selection into a weighted lottery favouring higher-wage roles. While that rule officially takes effect on February 27, it has already triggered a flood of employer enquiries and document revisions. At the same time, the State Department ended “third-country” stamping for Indian nationals, forcing all applicants back into India’s overburdened posts.
The practical fallout is severe. Technology, healthcare and engineering firms that rotate staff between India and U.S. offices warn of postponed projects, contractual penalties and morale issues as employees remain stuck offshore. Some companies are pressing for expanded domestic visa-renewal pilots or remote work arrangements to bridge the gap, but these work-arounds do not suit roles that require on-site presence or security clearances.
For organizations and travelers trying to stay ahead of these shifting timelines, VisaHQ can simplify the maze. Its online platform—complete with real-time U.S. visa alerts, document checklists and appointment-booking tools—helps users jump on newly released slots and keep paperwork flawless, all from a single dashboard. Explore the service at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
Experts recommend that mobility teams triage upcoming travel: avoid non-urgent trips that would require visa renewal abroad; explore alternative classifications such as L-1 blanket petitions for intra-company transferees; and budget for premium-processing upgrades where available. Employers should also factor in the new wage-weighted lottery when setting FY 2027 hiring budgets—raising salaries may improve selection odds but will inflate labour costs.
Long-term, business groups are lobbying the U.S. administration for additional consular staffing, expanded interview waivers for repeat travellers and a larger annual H-1B quota. Without relief, recruiters warn that global talent could drift toward friendlier destinations like Australia’s Global Talent Visa or Canada’s H-1B open work permit pathway.
