H-1B visa curbs: US reschedules December interviews to 2026; tighter social media checks slow processing

Hundreds of H-1B and H-4 visa appointments scheduled for mid- to late-December 2025 are being cancelled and pushed to March 2026 as US consulates overhaul screening procedures, according to immigration firm Fragomen, according to an ET report.

Consular posts have cited a new mandatory online presence review for H-1B applicants and their dependents that comes into effect on December 15. Under the revised process, applicants will be required to make their social media accounts publicly accessible for assessment by visa officers.




Fragomen said email correspondence from US consulates confirms that interview slots are being reduced to accommodate the expanded vetting process. As a result, posts are cancelling previously scheduled interviews to align with slower daily processing under the new system.

“Applicant biometrics appointments abroad are not being cancelled; biometrics are being taken at the scheduled time, but applicants are then informed that their visa appointment will be rescheduled to a later date, sometimes by several months,” the firm said, ET quoted.

While aimed at strengthening background checks, the expanded scrutiny introduces additional procedural steps that are expected to delay approvals and potentially deter prospective applicants.

The changes come against the backdrop of broader H-1B policy tightening by the US government. Earlier in 2025, new H-1B modernisation rules redefined what qualifies as a specialty occupation, tightened degree relevance requirements and raised compliance expectations for employers, increasing scrutiny of new petitions.

Further uncertainty was added in September 2025 with the announcement of a one-time $100,000 fee for all new H-1B petitions. While continuing-employment petitions are exempt, the higher cost is expected to influence hiring and onsite deployment strategies, particularly for Indian IT services firms.

Immigration attorneys and industry stakeholders in both India and the US have flagged concerns over the cumulative impact of higher costs, narrower occupational definitions and expanded background checks, signalling a long-term shift in how employers approach H-1B workforce planning.

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