Ignoring your rescheduled appointment email for an American visa could put you in serious trouble, as the US State Department's new social media vetting policy has sparked widespread disruptions for H-1B visa applicants in India. Many appointments have been rescheduled or postponed to 2026. In a fresh warning issued on Tuesday night, the US Embassy in India has advised visa applicants to recheck their appointment dates.
"ATTENTION VISA APPLICANTS - If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date," the US Embassy in India said in a post on X.
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Embassy warns 'Arriving on previously scheduled date will...'
The Embassy has also warned that visa applicants who arrive at the consulate on a previously scheduled date for interview, even after being notified, will be denied entry. "Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate," it added.
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H-1B visa interview postponed to 2026
The interviews, which were previously scheduled for mid to late December, are being pushed to March 2026, Bloomberg reported. The exact number of reschedules, however, couldn't be confirmed.
In a post on X, Steven Brown, an attorney from a leading business immigration law firm, said, "Mission India confirms what we have been hearing. They have cancelled a number of appointments in the coming weeks and rescheduled them for March to allow for the social media vetting."
Officials to review visa applicants from...
The US government had expanded vetting and screening measures for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents. It has directed the applicants to set their privacy settings on all their social media profiles to "public". According to reports, officials will review and identify visa applicants who pose a threat or are inadmissible to the United States, starting December 15.
The social media vetting is just the latest scrutiny of the H-1B visa program. Earlier in September, US President Donald Trump imposed a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas.