The Trump administration has tightened rules for applicants seeking a US visa. Particularly affected are Indian H-1B holders, who have travelled to India from the US to get their visa stamped at the Consular office.
Online Presence Review
U.S. Department of State (DOS) introduced a new requirement that all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants need to undergo an online presence review beginning on December 15, 2025. Starting December 15, all H-1B applicants will have to meet the standards set by the ‘online presence review’.
Visa Appointment Cancelled and Rescheduled
Although this new social media vetting rule will be implemented from next week, U.S. Embassy in India informed on December 9 that visa appointments are being cancelled and rescheduled for a later date.
This notice of visa interview appointments being rescheduled for H-1B and H-4 candidates has increased uncertainty for the applicants. Those who had their visa appointments scheduled for mid to late December 2025 have begun to receive notifications regarding the reschedule. The online presence review was already in place for the visa applicants seeking F-1 student visas. Now, the Department of State has extended its online presence review to H-1B and H-4 applicants.
This social media vetting requirement may have led consulates to limit the number of daily interviews for these categories. This change has caused cancellations and rescheduled appointments, though biometrics appointments are proceeding as planned.
As reported by ANI, US embassy spokesperson said, “In every Visa case, we will take the time necessary to ensure an applicant does not pose a risk to the safety and security of the United States and that he or she has credibly established his or her eligibility for the visa sought, including that the applicant intends to engage in activities consistent with the terms of admission. The Department of State regularly shifts appointments as needed to match resource availability. We will communicate any changes directly to affected visa applicants.”
Who All Are Impacted
H-1B visas are issued for 3 years and can be extended for another 3 years. But the applicant has to travel to their home country to get it stamped at the US consulate. These H-1B visa workers who need a visa stamp at a U.S. consulate outside the United States or initial visa issuance or renewal are mostly impacted by the new restrictions. Even the H-4 dependents, spouses and children of H-1B workers, requiring a consular visa appointment, will be affected.
Till now, the US has not given a specific timeline for the rescheduled appointments. The wait time for applicants may extend to weeks or months, requiring them to stay in their home country during this period.
Getting a visa stamped in other countries is no longer an option. With few exceptions, the Department of State now requires all immigrant visa applicants to appear for an interview in their designated consular district or country of nationality. Beginning November 1, 2025, the National Visa Center is scheduling immigrant visa applicants in their country of residence or, if asked, country of nationality.