H-1B Visa holders struck in India as U.S. expands its screening for work permit renewals: When is it going to streamline?

In a recent update, hundreds of H-1B Visa holders who travelled back to India for their work permit renewals are now stuck here after the US State Department's new social media vetting policy. People who had come to India for work permit visa renewal are stranded for an unknown period .

Let’s understand the new policy

As per the U.S. Department of State’s official announcement (December 15, 2025), the government has expanded its online presence review and vetting process to cover all H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependent families. Earlier, this new rule was applicable to other categories including students and exchange visitors.




The official advisory also shows all H-1B and H-4 applicants must adjust the privacy settings on their social media profiles to “public” for the duration of the visa application. It is for consular officers who can check online presence and reviews as part of the security assessment.

The expanded vetting is designed to make sure applicants do “not intend to harm Americans and U.S. national interests.” Also that they meet eligibility criteria consistent with the terms of their visa classification.

The new screening process is mandatory as it is reflected on the Department of State’s official travel.state.gov website. It is applicable worldwide and has led to significant changes at U.S. embassies and consulates.

Visa appointment

The Department’s announcement effectively means U.S. consular posts now have to allocate additional time for examining applicants’ online presence. As a result, interview slots are being delayed. Several previously scheduled H-1B consular appointments (set between mid-December 15 and late December 2025) are being rescheduled to dates several months later.

No info on the new interview dates

The department emphasises that each visa case must undergo thorough vetting as part of the adjudication process. The U.S. maintains that such processes are a matter of national security, and that a visa remains a privilege contingent upon satisfactory completion of all screening steps.

Meanwhile, the State Department advises applicants to:

Make sure all required online profiles and social media platforms are accessible so that officials can review.

Monitor official consular communication closely for interview updates.

Recognise that social media reviews are part of the routine visa process and may add time to overall processing timelines.

Both the U.S. Embassy and consulates in India maintain that appointments must be attended on the rescheduled date and that arriving for an earlier, cancelled appointment will not be accepted. As the holiday season continues, U.S. visa operations in India and around the world are adjusting to these expanded vetting measures.

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