US Consulates Postpone Visa Appointment for Social Media Scrutiny

Hyderabad: In an unexpected move that has caused widespread concern among skilled workers and their families, multiple H-1B and H-4 visa applicants in India have received notices from US consular offices informing them that their long-scheduled visa appointments have been postponed by several months.

Applicants originally booked for interviews in December and January have been reassigned to dates between April and May, creating uncertainty for individuals whose travel and employment plans depend on timely processing.

The rescheduling wave came shortly after US authorities announced that they would begin enhanced social-media screening for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants. The “online presence screening” is aimed at strengthening national-security checks, according to the US government.

In the email sent to applicants, the US consulates said, “As of December 15, the department of state will conduct an online presence review for all H-1B applicants and their dependents, in addition to the students and exchange visitors already subject to this review. Due to operational constraints related to processing these visas and to ensure that no applicants issued a visa pose a threat to US national security or public safety, the US Consulate must reduce the number of applicants each day. The Consulate will not be able to see you on your original appointment date.”

The consulate also said that the biometric appointment at the Visa Application Centre (VAC) has not changed, creating further distress among applicants.

Applicants said that previously, their application appointment was usually designated 10-15 days after their biometric appointment, and applicants used to get both their processes done within a month’s span. But with the application appointment rescheduled to as far as May, many are fearing it could jeopardise their jobs, immigration status, or family plans.

An H-1B applicant, who requested anonymity due to privacy and fears of further scrutiny, said that the uncertainty is now overwhelming. She said “I have already resigned from my company in India and was supposed to start my new role in the US early next year. Now everything is in chaos. The dates are so far apart, I genuinely feel helpless, since I have no control over the situation.”

Dependent spouses on H-4 visas are experiencing similar distress. One applicant, originally scheduled for an interview in early January, described the emotional strain the delay had created. “My children’s school admission and our relocation plans were based on the interview date. With this sudden change, everything is uncertain again. It feels like our lives are being pushed back by months without any clarity,” she said.

An ex-military personnel said that their daughter arrived in India for stamping, and her biometric was completed recently. But the application appointment date, which was scheduled for mid-December, is now pushed to April and their job is at stake.

Replying to Deccan Chronicle, US Consulate General Hyderabad’s spokesperson said “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. Embassies and consulates will continue to process H-1B and H-4 visas. The Department regularly shifts appointments as needed to match resource availability. We will communicate any changes directly to affected visa applicants.”

“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. We encourage applicants to apply as early as they can and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications”, the spokesperson said.