US Embassy In India Issues Alert To Applicants On Visa Appointment Rescheduling

The US Embassy in India has issued a crucial advisory for visa applicants, cautioning that showing up on the previously scheduled appointment dates will lead to denial of entry at the Embassy or Consulate.

The advisory has been primarily issued for visa applicants who have received a rescheduling notice from the US Embassy.

Visa applicants have been advised to check their updated appointment dates and visit the Embassy or the Consulate as per the revised schedule.   

“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.  Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate,” the US Embassy in India said on X.

A Bloomberg Law report reveals that H-1B visa interviews slated for later this month in India are being postponed by the US State Department, amid constraints pertaining to the recently introduced social media scrutiny. 

Interviews scheduled from mid-December through the end of the month are being delayed until as late as next summer, raising concerns that visa renewal applicants may face months-long waits before travelling back to the United States.

Social media checks for F-1 student visa applicants are already underway. Starting Dec. 15, H-1B visa holders and their dependents seeking H-4 visas will be similarly required to disclose their social media accounts publicly.

“As of Dec. 15, the Department will expand the requirement that an online presence review be conducted for all H-1B applicants and their dependents, in addition to the students and exchange visitors already subject to this review. To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J non-immigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public,’” the US State Department said in its announcement.

“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission. A US visa is a privilege, not a right,” it said.

The introduction of social media screenings represents the latest move by the Trump administration aimed at uncovering breaches related to the employment of foreign workers as well as national security. In September, the US had announced an annual fee of $1,00,000 for new H-1B visa applications.