US H-1B Visa 2025: It seems the headaches for H-1B visa holders are far from over. In a new chapter of the ongoing H-1B visa saga, hundreds of visa holders who returned to India for permit renewals find themselves stranded, as US consular offices have unexpectedly rescheduled their appointments to next year. This latest setback adds to the mounting frustrations faced by those caught in the visa process.
According to The Washington Post, many appointments originally set for December 15 to 26, during the US holiday season, have been postponed to between March and June 2026 due to the Trump administration's implementation of a new social media screening policy.
A significant number of those impacted are technology professionals in their 30s and 40s who have resided in the United States for several years. Some individuals who traveled to India with their children are now faced with the decision of whether to send them back alone, while others have been completely separated from their families.
“This is the biggest mess we have seen,” immigration Veena Vijay Ananth told the Post. “I’m not sure there is a plan.”
In May, the Trump administration intensified the examination of student visa applicants by more thoroughly reviewing their social media profiles. Applicants had to adjust their account privacy settings to make them publicly accessible.
In December, a US Embassy announced that consulates would expand the protocol to include H-1B applicants and their dependents (H-4 visa applicants). This measure was implemented "to ensure an applicant does not pose a risk to the safety and security of the United States," according to the embassy spokesperson. This implied increased scrutiny of the workers.
Indian nationals have consistently been the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program, which allows foreign nationals to work in the U.S. for up to six years. Since 2015, over 70% of all approved H-1B petitions have been for Indian workers. In fact, between October 2022 and September 2023, 72% of the nearly 400,000 H-1B visas issued were granted to Indian nationals.
The H-1B visa program has faced significant scrutiny, especially during the Trump administration. Trump’s far-right supporters have called for its elimination, arguing that it takes away jobs from U.S. citizens. On the other hand, tech industry executives have strongly pushed back, emphasizing that skilled foreign workers are essential to driving innovation and maintaining growth in the sector.
In a bid to tighten the visa program, Trump signed a proclamation in September 2023, raising the fees for firms hiring foreign talent to $100,000 annually. This move is expected to make it more challenging for many companies to access talent under the H-1B program, especially in fields heavily reliant on skilled tech professionals.