US Asks Visa Applicants to Apply Early

Hyderabad:Reiterating its statement on H-1B and H-4 applications, the US Consulate in India advised applicants to apply as early as possible so as to avoid confusion and chaos about stamping expiration.

In an alert for H-1B and H-4 applicants, the consulate said, “Beginning December 15, the department of state expanded online presence reviews to all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This vetting is being conducted globally for all applicants of all nationalities for H1-B and H-4 visas. It is an effort to address abuse of the H-1B programme while still permitting companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers.”

“US embassies and consulates continue to accept and process H-1B and H-4 non-immigrant visa applications. We encourage applicants to apply as early as they can and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications,” the consulate said.

With the US consulates adding social media vetting for applicants, the consulates rescheduled thousands of applicants’ visa appointment dates to months beyond their initial appointment date, in some cases even years. The rescheduling of appointments has created severe chaos and confusion for applicants and visa holders, as their jobs and families' lives are dependent on such elements.

Previously, the US consulate issued similar statements about the rescheduling of dates.

“Beginning December 15, we are expanding the online presence review to all specialty occupation temporary worker (H-1B) visa applicants and their dependents in the H-4 visa classification. In every visa case, we will take the time necessary to ensure an applicant does not pose a risk to the safety and security of the United States and that he or she has credibly established his or her eligibility for the visa sought, including that the applicant intends to engage in activities consistent with the terms of admission. The Department of State regularly shifts appointments as needed to match resource availability. We will communicate any changes directly to affected visa applicants”, a spokesperson of the US Consulate General in Hyderabad stated on December 16.