Indian H-1B Visa Holders Stranded: A Perfect Storm of Visa Renewal Chaos
As the US holiday season kicked off, thousands of Indian H-1B and H-4 visa holders who had traveled back to India for routine visa renewal interviews found themselves stranded, caught in the midst of a perfect storm of bureaucratic delays and policy changes. The US consulates in India abruptly canceled appointments scheduled between December 15 and 26, 2025, rescheduling many to as late as mid-2027. The affected individuals, mostly software engineers and tech professionals from top US firms like Google and Apple, had timed their trips for the holidays and personal events like weddings in cities like Hyderabad.
At the heart of the crisis lies the expanded social media vetting and security checks for employment-based visas, implemented by the US State Department from December 15, 2025. According to multiple sources, this move has reduced the interview capacity, leaving hundreds to thousands of Indian visa holders in limbo. The US State Department, in an advisory issued on December 9, 2025, had warned against showing up for old appointment dates, promising assistance on new ones. However, this assurance has offered little comfort to the stranded workers.
The situation has been described by US immigration attorneys as the "biggest mess" they've seen, with some questioning whether the Trump administration has a plan to address the crisis. Rare exceptions are being made for emergencies, but the attorneys advise against travel, citing the uncertainty and potential consequences. Firms are reporting hundreds of stranded clients, and the situation is getting increasingly dire by the day.
The affected workers and experts fear that job losses are imminent, as employers may not wait for their employees or pay the high fees associated with restarting applications. Companies like Google and Apple had warned their employees of potential 12-month re-entry delays, but the reality is worse. With the US State Department's policy of ending remote and third-country renewals in July 2025, forcing home-country stamping, the crisis has been exacerbated.
The US government's decision to impose $100,000 fees on new H-1B applications and stricter vetting has created a perfect storm of bureaucratic hurdles. The situation is not just about delayed interviews but also about the broader implications of chilled international travel for visa holders and heightened scrutiny on Indian tech professionals.
The stakes are high for the stranded workers, who risk expired visa stamps preventing US re-entry, potential job loss, and employers facing $100,000 fees for restarting applications. As the situation unfolds, the stranded workers are left to grapple with the uncertainty, financial strain, and restarted processes. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by Indian tech professionals in the US.
As the US consulates in India struggle to catch up with the demand, the stranded workers can only hope that their appointments are rescheduled soon. However, the reality is that the situation is far from resolved, and the chaos created by the US State Department's policy changes is only just beginning to unravel.
📰 Source: The Hindu - National
