US enhances online vetting for H-1B visas; delayed interviews likely to impact Indian techies
PTC News Desk: The United States has announced an expansion of online and social media reviews as part of routine visa screening for all H-1B and H-4 applicants worldwide, regardless of nationality. In a short statement, the US Embassy in India advised applicants to submit their visa applications as early as possible and to be prepared for longer processing times for these categories.
"WORLDWIDE ALERT FOR H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPLICANTS. 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 (sic)," the US Embassy said in a post on X.
This announcement comes amid the sudden postponement of thousands of pre-scheduled H-1B visa interviews in India, with many being pushed back by several months. Acknowledging the difficulties faced by applicants, the embassy said the enhanced scrutiny aims to curb misuse of the H-1B programme while continuing to allow US companies to recruit highly skilled foreign professionals. The H-1B visa is widely used by American technology firms, and Indian nationals—particularly IT professionals and doctors—make up one of the largest groups of beneficiaries.
"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," it added.
The statement also coincides with a broader US crackdown on H-1B visa abuse and illegal immigration. As a result of these new measures, hundreds of Indian applicants are experiencing visa delays. All interviews scheduled from December 15 onward have been rescheduled, leading to widespread disruptions and significantly delaying applicants’ return to the United States.
Many applicants had already traveled to India for their visa appointments and are now unable to return to the US because they lack a valid H-1B visa. In several cases, interviews originally set for December 15 have been deferred to March, while appointments scheduled for December 19 have been moved to late May, leaving applicants stranded and uncertain about their employment timelines.
- With inputs from agencies
