India Raises Concerns Over US H-1B Visa Interview Cancellations
India's Diplomatic Efforts Regarding H-1B Visa Issues
On Friday, India expressed its concerns to the United States regarding the abrupt cancellation of scheduled interviews for Indian applicants seeking H-1B visas. The Indian government indicated that discussions on this issue were ongoing between both nations.
Earlier this month, the US announced plans to enhance the scrutiny of social media profiles for H-1B visa applicants and their dependents starting December 15. Consequently, interviews for numerous applicants in India were unexpectedly postponed for several months.
Some applicants, whose interviews were set for a week after the announcement, received notifications from US immigration officials stating that their appointments had been rescheduled as late as May.
This rescheduling has adversely affected those who had previously secured appointments after December 15.
H-1B visas permit US companies to temporarily hire foreign workers for specialized roles.
In recent years, Indian nationals have made up the majority of H-1B visa holders, accounting for 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued by the US in the fiscal year 2022-2023.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, mentioned that they have received numerous complaints from Indian citizens experiencing delays or issues with their US visa appointments.
While acknowledging that visa matters fall under a country's sovereign jurisdiction, Jaiswal confirmed that the concerns of Indian applicants have been communicated to US officials in both New Delhi and Washington. He expressed hope that these delays would be resolved promptly.
Jaiswal also highlighted that many individuals have been left stranded for extended periods due to the scheduling changes, which have caused significant hardships for their families and affected their children's education.
He stated, 'The Government of India is actively working with the US to address and minimize the disruptions faced by our citizens.'
On December 3, the US mandated that all foreign workers applying for H-1B visas and their dependents, who hold H-4 visas, must keep their social media profiles public for review.
In June, the Trump administration had issued similar directives for student visa applicants, emphasizing a comprehensive vetting process that included online presence checks.
These measures were part of Trump's broader immigration enforcement strategy.
On September 19, Trump signed an order imposing a $100,000 fee for each H-1B visa application. However, shortly after, his administration clarified that this fee would only apply to new applicants and not to current visa holders.
Additionally, the US Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday that it had finalized amendments to the regulations governing the H-1B visa selection process, prioritizing higher-skilled and better-paid workers.
These new regulations will take effect on February 27 and will apply to the registration period for the fiscal year 2026-2027. The annual cap for H-1B visas is set at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 reserved for holders of US advanced degrees.
The Trump administration stated that this shift from a lottery system to a merit-based selection process aims to better protect the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities for American workers.