Imagine flying 20 hours to renew your visa. Then getting an email: “appointment cancelled.” That is the reality that H-1B visa applicants, especially in India, are facing today.
The Donald Trump administration is starting social media vetting of all H-1B applicants and their spouses from December 15. While this applies to applicants from any country, the disruption has been felt most in India, where consulates handle hundreds of requests each day and are now cutting those numbers because of the extra work involved in screening online activity.
Officials have been told to review all social media profiles of candidates before moving ahead with any case.
“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 in Hyderabad must reduce the number of applicants each day. The Consulate will not be able to see you on your original appointment date. Please do not show up at the Consulate. We look forward to assisting you on your new appointment date,” the US government told embassies.
The impact has been devastating for Indian applicants.
“You planned for months. Booked flights. Took time off. Flew to India for your H-1B visa renewal. Email arrives: appointment cancelled. New date? Summer 2026. Welcome to U.S. immigration 2025,” said Atul Agarwal, founder of AI firm OpenSphere, in a post on X.
What is the new US online presence review?
The US State Department’s new online presence review rule comes into force next week. It requires consular officers to check applicants’ social media and online presence as part of security vetting. The result has been abrupt rescheduling. Some applicants with December and January appointments are seeing their interviews moved by weeks or months, with a few pushed as far out as April 2026.
What are lawyers saying about the impact?
US-based immigration attorney Ellen Freeman wrote on LinkedIn, “H-1B workers will lose their jobs now that they are stuck in India.” She said the US economy would also feel the strain as workers remain stranded.
“We have to plead with employers to let them either work from India or take prolonged leave of absence for as many as 5 months. In this economic environment and with the deliverables pressure, many employers will not be able to wait. People left their apartment leases, utility bills, car payments in the US. The prolonged delay in these visa cancellations will have a devastating effect on our communities and economy. There are human stories behind each visa cancellation and its harsh impact on our colleagues, clients, friends, relatives,” said Freeman.
Another immigration attorney, Emily Neumann, said, “Visa stamping feels like a maze of pitfalls right now. Now, appointments are getting canceled without warning and pushed out by months. There is no predictability in this process, and it is creating real challenges for businesses and employees who need to travel.”
Aizada Marat, an immigration attorney, wrote on X, “The pattern is inconsistent because each post is adjusting to the new screening requirements at a different speed. And here’s the worst part: This is happening right in the middle of holiday travel season. If you were planning to travel abroad and return with a new visa stamp, a sudden appointment cancellation could leave you stranded outside the U.S. for far longer than expected.”
What can applicants do now?
Marat suggested steps for those with upcoming travel or scheduled visa appointments:
• Watch your consulate account closely for cancellations or automatic rescheduling and check often for earlier openings.
• Build in extra buffer time if travelling internationally.
• Make sure online profiles and social media fields are accurate and publicly accessible.
• If your appointment is cancelled, contact your attorney immediately to discuss next steps.