H-1B, H-4 visa delays: Immigration lawyer shares advice for workers, families and spouses waiting to return; 'They cannot risk...'

Applicants for H-1B and H-4 visas are facing unexpected and prolonged delays in US visa interview appointments, with some now being pushed back by more than a year, according to immigration lawyer Gnanamookan Senthurjothi, as reported by The American Bazaar.

Senthurjothi said that several applicants who had originally secured interview slots for January 2026 at US consulates were recently notified that their appointments had been rescheduled to February, March and April 2027 instead. In some cases, the change was made without any clear or formal explanation from consular posts.


“The worrying part is that many applicants were not properly informed,” Senthurjothi told The American Bazaar. “They logged into the system only to discover that their interview dates had been pushed back by over a year.”

The delays are affecting both H-1B skilled workers and H-4 dependents, including spouses and children. Many of those impacted are professionals already employed in the United States who need visa stamping to travel or re-enter the country. Others are families waiting to reunite after long periods apart.

According to Senthurjothi, the backlog appears to be linked to staffing shortages at US embassies, increased security checks and a continued surge in visa demand. He said that the US government has acknowledged processing delays, but the lack of transparency has left applicants confused.

“These delays have serious real-world consequences,” he said. “People are postponing travel, family emergencies and even career opportunities because they cannot risk being stuck outside the US.”

Senthurjothi advised applicants to regularly monitor their appointment portals for earlier slots, use emergency appointment requests where eligible and avoid non-essential international travel if their visa status is uncertain. He also urged employers to be flexible with affected workers.

The issue will stretch into extended delays and could disrupt US businesses that rely heavily on skilled foreign workers. Many are calling on the US State Department to expand interview capacity and provide clearer communication to applicants.