The US Department of State announced that starting December 15, all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants must undertake an ‘online presence review’ as part of the application process. On December 9, before the implementation of the social media screening requirement on December 15, the U.S. Embassy in India announced the cancellation and rescheduling of visa appointments.
This has resulted in a complete halt of all visa appointments, with the most significant impact on H-1B holders. Indian H-1B visa holders are currently stranded in the country due to their inability to get visa stamps at the consulate.
Dmitry Litvinov, CEO and Founder of Dreem, discussed in an interview with Financial Express Online the reasons behind the rescheduling of visa appointments and the necessity for Indian H-1B visa holders to return to India. He also addressed the current options available to those individuals facing challenges while stuck in the country.
What could have led the U.S. Embassy in India to do a mass rescheduling of visa appointments?
The reason it seems like it’s only affecting Indian applicants is simply that post-specific operational issues aren’t global. Each U.S. embassy or consulate manages its own workload, staffing, and security or IT systems.
So when a post like the U.S. Embassy in India has to reschedule appointments—whether due to capacity limits, internal system updates, staffing shortages, or local conditions—it usually impacts only that country.
This isn’t unique to India. Other countries do get hit with similar mass reschedules—we’ve seen it in places like Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Brazil, and even some European posts, depending on demand and staffing. It just tends to get a lot more attention in India because the volume of applicants is so high.
One more reason is the introduction, starting December 15, of new screening procedures (including online-activity checks) for certain visa categories, which caused the consulates to reduce the number of interviews per day.
Will this apply to all visa applicants, including fresh B1/B2, F-1 visas etc or only for H-1B renewals?
From what we know, the rescheduling applies to any visa category whose appointment falls within the affected dates—not just renewals. That means B1/B2, F-1, H visas, L visas, and others may all be impacted if their appointments were scheduled during that window. It’s not a policy change or eligibility change. It’s purely an operational shift in appointment scheduling.
Moreover, these changes affected many applicants for the reasons mentioned above, but not everyone. Those who were affected should have received notification about the rescheduled appointment.
Why do H-1B visa holders have to travel to their home country for stamping?
H-1B workers usually have to travel abroad for stamping when:
- They’re renewing their visa after the initial validity (typically 3 years), or
- They changed employers and need a new stamp before returning to the U.S., or
- They never got a visa stamp to begin with. For example, they changed status inside the U.S. from F-1 to H-1B and now need a stamp for travel.
Even though USCIS approves the H-1B status inside the U.S., the actual H-1B visa stamp can only be issued at a U.S. consulate abroad. India is the default for most Indian nationals, which is why so many H-1B workers fly back specifically for stamping. So yes, it’s usually renewals, extensions, or first-time stamping after a status change.
What is the solution now for those who are unable to leave India for the US?
Wait for the rescheduled appointment
If the person is already in India and has been issued a new appointment date, they unfortunately cannot re-enter the U.S. without a valid visa stamp, unless they qualify for something very specific like automatic revalidation (which does not apply here).
Try for an emergency appointment
If someone has a U.S. job at risk, critical travel needs, or medical or humanitarian circumstances, they can request an expedited appointment through the consulate portal. It’s not guaranteed, the U.S. consulate allows such requests only in exceptional, unforeseen circumstances—for example, urgent travel for a close relative’s funeral, emergency medical treatment, or the start of an academic program.
Work remotely temporarily
If their employer agrees, many H-1B workers just work remotely from abroad until the visa is issued. This is legally permissible as long as U.S. payroll compliance is maintained, and tax considerations are understood.