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US Embassy Warns of H‑1B Visa Scams as India Flags Interview Chaos to Washington

Delays trace to expanded social‑media checks that started December 15.

Overview

  • The embassy cautioned applicants about fraudsters promising guaranteed approvals or faster outcomes and said decisions cannot be influenced by any agent or fixer.
  • Applicants were told to schedule appointments only through www.ustraveldocs.com and to rely on official sources such as travel.state.gov and the embassy’s visa page.
  • India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said concerns over cancellations and mass rescheduling of interviews were conveyed to US officials in New Delhi and Washington.
  • Consular posts began reviewing applicants’ online presence under new rules instructing H‑1B and H‑4, as well as F, M, and J visa applicants, to set declared social‑media profiles to public.
  • Recent US policy shifts include a $100,000 fee for certain new H‑1B filings and a DHS rule to weight selection toward higher‑paid, higher‑skilled workers, with the new selection framework set to take effect for the FY 2026–27 registration period.