Many H-1B, H-4 visa appointments cancelled as new social media review set to kick in

Following the recent policy change by the Trump administration of mandatory social-media screening (from Dec 15) of all applicants for H-1B and H-4 visas (spouse and dependent children of the H-1B visa holder) – these individuals are facing a fresh disruption.

Immigration attorneys are reporting that interview slots at US consulates scheduled for mid to end Dec 2025 have been cancelled, including those in India such as at the Hyderabad and Chennai consulates. The interviews have been deferred by several months – in many instances these have been pushed to March next year.




Illustrating the woes of their clients, immigration attorneys told TOI that some were those who are now stranded are those taking up new jobs, others were on a visit to India but needed stamping –they were on a brief visit to attend a wedding, or to drop off their parents who typically return to India during the winter season.

TOI in its edition of Dec 5, had covered the new policy announced by the US Department of State (DoS) that all H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents will undergo mandatory social-media screening from Dec 15. Applicants were required to switch their social-media accounts to “public” settings to enable scrutiny.

The fall out - consulates reportedly plan to interview fewer applicants each day, the reduced capacity is cited as the main reason for widespread cancellation of existing appointments, said an immigration attorney.

Immigration law firms are issuing alerts that any foreign national planning international travel should not proceed unless it is urgent. In addition, instances of revocation of visas of those already in the US, based on social media posts are also sporadically surfacing.

It may be recalled that on May 27, the DoS had paused the scheduling of new interviews for student and exchange-visitor visas (F, M, J categories). This was while DoS reviewed and updated its social-media and online-presence screening for international students. The freeze was lifted in June, but under stricter social media vetting guidelines.


Also Read: US to scan social media of all H-1B, H-4 visa applicants from December 15

For H-1Bs and their family members who now come under social media vetting guidelines, no freeze has been announced. But pushing an interview slot by several months, has the same fall out, state immigration attorneys.