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He is not alone.
Consular interview appointments of thousands of Indian professionals traveling to India for H-1B and H-4 visa renewals between December and February have been suddenly postponed for several months. Some have been extended to mid-2026; Others are away until 2027, leaving them stranded in India and facing deep uncertainty over their jobs, immigration status and children’s schooling in the United States.
H-1B puzzle
Social media platforms, especially Reddit, are filled with desperate posts from affected visa holders. “I came for visa stamping, and my interview was scheduled on January 9. Now it has been rescheduled to October. I don’t think my employer will allow this,” wrote one user, requesting someone to share an appointment slot so he can return to the US.
The rescheduling comes after the US State Department expanded its digital screening process to cover employment-based visas, with consular officers starting mandatory online presence checks for H-1B workers and H-4 dependents applying for visas or renewals abroad starting December 15, 2025.
Under the policy, applicants are required to keep publicly accessible social media accounts used in the past five years, allowing authorities to review online activity and other publicly available information.
This additional scrutiny has led to longer processing times, further security checks, or in some cases visa denials, with consulates redeploying staff to manage the increased workload.
But for many, the delay has created panic. Many H-1B holders say they have contacted employers to ask if they can take unpaid leave or work away from India. But those options are far from guaranteed.
An H1-B holder who went to Hyderabad for renewal, requesting anonymity, said CNBC-TV 18 He decided to combine his annual holidays with his visa renewal appointment and visit his hometown, but now his appointment is stuck as it has been rescheduled to October. He has now reached out to his employer and HR to discuss viable options.
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Another user on Reddit wrote, “My employer does not allow employees to work from India. Immigration, law and HR teams are exploring options, but this has made my situation worse.”
Parents are especially worried. Children enrolled in American schools are not attending classes, and families fear being away for several months. “My kids have school, and six months is a long time to be away,” posted one parent, asking if emergency appointments could help them return sooner.
Immigration lawyers are advising H-1B visa holders to avoid travel of any kind, and many employers cannot legally allow remote work from outside the United States due to payroll, tax, and export-control restrictions.
“If an H-1B worker travels now, they may return to unemployment, not their job,” Rahul Reddy, founding partner of Reddy Newman Brown PC, wrote in a blog post.
Emergency request also rejected
Lawyers also warn that if an H-1B visa holder loses their job, they will have to apply for a new job on the visa, which could lead to a new $100,000 fee, and it is unlikely that companies will reimburse that fee.
US-based companies employing H-1B workers have also advised employees to avoid international travel. Reuters reported that Google has told employees who will need a visa stamp to re-enter the US not to leave the country due to delays in visa processing.
Some immigration consultants say that emergency appointment requests are technically available, but approvals are rare.
Visa services firm Sprint Visa, in a post on X, advised applicants who have already completed biometrics can request an emergency slot with supporting documents such as an employer letter or medical records.
However, immigration lawyers warn that most emergency requests are denied unless there is a genuine medical or humanitarian crisis.
“There has been no indication from the consulates about releasing new H-1B slots. Everything points to reduced capacity due to the expanded social media review, not a temporary stop,” Henry Lindpere, senior immigration attorney at Manifest Law, wrote on Reddit.