H-1B Visa Interviews Cancelled Amid Trump's Social-Media Crackdown: What Indian Applicants Need to Know

The US government's new social-media screening policy for H-1B visa applicants has caused widespread disruption, with many interview appointments cancelled at consulates in India. As of December 15, all H-1B visa applicants and their accompanying H-4 dependents will be required to undergo compulsory social-media checks. To comply, applicants must ensure their online profiles are set to 'public.' According to immigration lawyers, consulates in Hyderabad and Chennai have rescheduled interview appointments originally set for mid to late December 2025, pushing them as far as March 2026. This has left many applicants stranded and disrupted their travel plans. The US Embassy in India has issued a statement advising applicants who received rescheduling emails to arrive on their new appointment dates. However, arriving on the previously scheduled date will result in denial of admittance. The affected individuals include professionals preparing to join new employers, as well as H-1B holders who briefly travelled to India for personal reasons and now need their visas stamped to return. Immigration law firms are advising foreign nationals to avoid international trips unless absolutely necessary due to the resulting backlog. This is not the first time visa processing has slowed due to social-media screening policies. In May, the State Department temporarily halted scheduling of fresh interviews for student and exchange-visitor visas. Although appointments resumed in June, they did so under stricter vetting requirements. The US has also cancelled a staggering 85,000 visas since the beginning of the year, with the State Department signalling that stepped-up enforcement measures are set to continue.