US Embassy warns of longer wait times for H-1B, H-4 visas due to expansion of social media screening

The US Embassy in India has urged visa applicants to apply early and be prepared for delays after Washington introduced stricter scrutiny for H-1B and H-4 visas, including mandatory review of social media profiles.

“Worldwide Alert for H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants Effective December 15, the State Department expanded online appearance reviews to all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This screening is being conducted globally for all applicants of all nationalities for H1-B and H-4 visas. It is an effort to address abuses of the H-1B program, while still allowing companies to identify the best temporary aliens is allowed to be appointed.” Employee. U.S. Embassies and Consulates continue to accept and process H-1B and H-4 nonimmigrant visa applications. We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible and expect additional processing time for these visa classifications,” the embassy said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), confirming that the policy took effect on December 15, 2025.

Under the new rules, consular officers will examine applicants’ online presence as part of the standard visa decision – including platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

Applicants are advised to keep the profile public for convenience of verification. This policy applies to both new applications and renewals for H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents.

These changes have already disrupted scheduling at US consulates in India, with some appointments canceled and rescheduled for months later.

Tech giants also included Google, Apple and Microsoft have advised employees to avoid non-essential travel to avoid being stranded abroad,

70-75% of H-1B beneficiaries are in India, making the impact on thousands of IT professionals and their families particularly significant.