How US social media screening is causing stamping delays, distress for Indian H1-B applicants

Krishna Iyer ( make changed) got an email from the US Consulate in madras on tues, dec 9, simply before boarding his flight to India that his H-1B Visa renewal stamping interview scheduled for end of December 2025 has been moved to July 2026.

However, Iyer was not alone. Thousands of several Indian H-1B and H-4 visa applicants received update that their visa renewal interviews were auto-rescheduled by the US consulates across India, that too not by just days or weeks but by several months to 2026.

The US Department of State (DOS) has announced that, effective December 15, 2025, consular officers will begin conducting mandatory online-presence reviews for all H-1B specialty occupation workers and H-4 dependent family members applying for visas/visa renewals at US consulates abroad.

This is an extension of a vetting framework first implemented for F, M, and J visa applicants earlier this year as part of its broader security-screening modernisation initiative. The December expansion marks the first major addition of employment-based categories to that framework. The expanded digital-identity screening policy includes the following:

“We are seeing significant issues with clients regarding interview scheduling delays and status complications, particularly since the recent policy changes on digital-identity screening came into effect on December 15th,” says Madhurima Paturi of the Law Offices of Madhurima B. Paturi in Orlando, Florida.

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“One major area of concern is the impact on essential workers. A couple of my physician clients, who have been on H-1B status for over 15 years and are required to extend their stamping for travel, had their interviews rescheduled. We have sent an email to the embassy requesting emergency processing based on their essential worker status, given the shortage of medical professionals.”

“Another client, on H-1B visa had to leave the US for an emergency after their mother tragically passed away in a bus accident in India. They are now stuck abroad because their stamping appointment was rescheduled, and they cannot return. Many individuals do not know when their appointments will be rescheduled, which creates distress for their families, including H-4 dependent spouses and young children. This situation mirrors the family separation issues we saw during the pandemic,” adds Paturi.

She adds that another issue of concern is the prudential (temporary) visa revocation of H-1B and H-4 visas by the US Consulates. “These revocations apply to visas that were already approved, affecting people already residing in the US and are notified by email from the consulate that their visa was prudentially revoked. This is a precautionary and temporary action and does not imply a finding of permanent ineligibility. It affects people whose issues were previously vetted and cleared, likely due to new data, expanded screening, or database flags. The increase in social media and online presence screening is a likely contributing factor, as consular officials seek to reassess eligibility,” tells Paturi.

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While DOS has not publicly released the full adjudication (judgement) standard for H-1B/H-4 cases, internal guidance issued earlier for student/exchange visa reviews suggests that officers may look for indicators such as:

Applicants who limit their social media visibility or lack an online presence may be subject to additional scrutiny, as DOS has previously cautioned that constraints on access may raise credibility questions. If officers identify issues, they may:

This operational shift appears to have triggered mass automated rescheduling across all major consulates in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Many people who have traveled to India for H1B Visa renewal stamping are unable to return to the US. Many cannot even attempt rescheduling because the system needs 4–5 days to refresh after biometrics. Some with rigid return-to-office policies risk job loss and visa status loss and other hardships. Laxmi Rao (name changed) on a H4 Visa had come to India with her husband for visa renewal stamping. She is seven months pregnant with her first child. Laxmi and her husband had planned to have their baby in the US. The changes to policy resulting in changes to their visa renewal date will prevent their return for several months.

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The changes affect anyone attending a consular appointment after Dec 15, including H-4 spouses and children.

Many Immigration lawyers suggest that If you're still in the US, do not travel for stamping until things settle down. “People in the US generally retain their status even if their visa stamp is prudentially revoked. The revocation does not affect your lawful stay in the United States. Your original visa expiration date remains in effect. It is critical to immediately halt international travel plans outside of the US. If you leave, you cannot use the revoked visa to re-enter and will require a new visa stamp,” warns Paturi.

Since even innocuous or misinterpreted online content can trigger extended review, potentially delaying reentry to the US, employees in critical project roles should plan travel conservatively.

Inconsistencies between an applicant’s online activity, resume details, employment information, or prior visa filings may draw attention. Accuracy and alignment across all materials are recommended.

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