The United States will introduce expanded social-media screening for H-1B skilled-worker visa applicants and their H-4 dependents beginning December 15, triggering major rescheduling of visa interviews during India’s busiest renewal period.
The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi confirmed the new requirement and said the measure extends an existing screening framework used for F, M, and J student and exchange-visitor visa applicants.
“Beginning December 15, we are expanding the online presence review to all speciality occupation temporary worker (H-1B) visa applicants and their dependents in the H-4 visa classification,” a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said.
“In every visa case, we will take the time necessary to ensure an applicant does not pose a risk to the safety and security of the United States… The Department of State regularly shifts appointments as needed to match resource availability. We will communicate any changes directly to affected visa applicants.”
As consular staff prepare for the additional vetting workload, interview slots originally scheduled from mid-December onwards are being pushed to later dates, including appointments now postponed into mid-2026, according to immigration attorneys. Notices sent to applicants explain that consulates must reduce the number of interviews processed per day to accommodate the expanded checks. Previously scheduled biometric appointments have not been altered.
The U.S. Embassy also issued a public advisory on X instructing applicants not to arrive for original appointment times, stating they will not be admitted if schedules have already been adjusted.
The policy change has disrupted travel plans for thousands of H-1B visa holders who arranged year-end trips to India specifically to complete renewal interviews. Legal experts say many workers may now face extended stays in India until new interview dates become available, delaying their return to U.S. employment.
Applicants also cannot seek earlier appointments in another country. A State Department rule introduced in September requires H-1B and H-4 applicants to undergo interviews only in their country of nationality or residence, eliminating what had become a common workaround through faster-processing consulates elsewhere.
The new screening requirement is part of wider changes to the H-1B system. Recent measures include a newly introduced $100,000 fee for certain overseas H-1B petitions, a proposed reform of the annual H-1B lottery, stepped-up enforcement by multiple federal agencies, and earlier expansion of online-presence checks for F-1, M, and J applicants.
Internal guidance directs consular officers to review résumés, LinkedIn profiles, and other digital records for risk indicators including associations linked to restricting free speech.
