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yesterday

India Presses U.S. on H‑1B Interview Cancellations as Consulates Push Dates Into 2026

The dispute follows new online‑presence checks for H‑1B/H‑4 applicants, prompting an embassy warning about scams.

H-1B workers are stranded in India due to new US State Department policies. Emergency interview requests are often unmet, causing delays in visa renewals
The US Embassy has issued an alert to warn Indian applicants about an H-1B visa scam.
A distressed H-1B visa holder was notified of their visa revocation while in India, necessitating a new application for re-entry.
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Overview

  • India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it has formally raised rescheduling and cancellation complaints with U.S. officials in New Delhi and Washington, citing hardships to families and children’s schooling.
  • The U.S. Embassy in India confirmed that, effective Dec. 15, consular screening now includes online‑presence reviews for all H‑1B and H‑4 applicants and described the checks as standard anti‑fraud and security measures.
  • Thousands of interviews set from mid‑December were deferred by months, with many slots moved into spring and even late 2026, leaving numerous workers and dependents stuck in India and unable to return to jobs.
  • Emergency appointments are inconsistently available, and the embassy urged applicants to use only official scheduling through ustraveldocs, warning that no agent can guarantee approvals or faster dates.
  • The disruption lands as broader H‑1B changes advance, including a wage‑ and skill‑weighted selection rule set to take effect Feb. 27, 2026 for FY2027 registrations and a separate one‑time $100,000 fee for certain new petitions reported earlier this year.