Thousands of H-1B visa holders and applicants are facing increasing uncertainty with the Trump administration getting ready to implement mandatory social media screening, resulting in cancellation and rescheduling of visa interviews en masse at consulates worldwide.
Under the new rule by the Trump administration, which took effect on December 15, all applicants for the H-1B visa, as well as H-4 dependents accompanying them, are required to have their online profiles set to “public” for mandatory screening. Consulates seem to be limiting their daily interview capacity to handle the new vetting, resulting in major delays.
Appointment Backlog Strands Workers
Immigration law firms reported that in-country consulates have begun to cancel interviews originally scheduled in mid-to-late December 2025. Many appointments have been pushed dramatically, some as far as March 2026, in places like Hyderabad and Chennai.
Disrupted Travel: The rescheduling has stranded H-1B holders who had travelled home for personal reasons like attending family weddings or accompanying elderly parents and now require visa stamping for going back to their US jobs.
Official Confirmation: The US Embassy in India also spoke against the miscommunication on X, confirming the reschedule: “Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate.”
As a result, immigration attorneys are now advising foreign nationals in H-1B status to avoid international travel except where absolutely necessary.
Increased Vetting And Revocations
The new screening rule requires consulates to spend more time per applicant, which in turn drives the reduction in daily interview slots and the current wave of cancellations. This is part of a broader ramping up of enforcement by the State Department:
Existing Revocations: Already, there have been sporadic reports of H-1B visas being revoked for those residing in the US based on their social media activities.
Historical Precedent: In May 2025, the State Department pulled the plug on scheduling appointments for F, M, and J visas—students and exchange visitors—to revise social media vetting rules, which was a similar delay until appointments started again under more rigid requirements in June.
US Continues To Signal Strict Enforcement
The wave of cancellations coincides with a broader announcement signaling ongoing strict enforcement by the US government. The US Department of State recently updated its numbers on X to show the number of enforcement actions this year: “85,000 visa revocations since January. President Trump and Secretary Rubio have one simple mandate, and they aren’t going to stop now.”
ALSO READ | Japan Issues Rare ‘Megaquake Advisory’ After M7.5 Tremor; Officials Warn Of 98-Foot Tsunami Risk
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
