US Embassy Warns Indians Of H-1B, H4 Visa Delays Amid Social Media Checks

As the worldwide vetting process and online presence reviews for H1B visa applicants along with H-4 applicants continues, the US Embassy in India has alerted applicants to get a head start in their visa applications while anticipating additional processing time for these visa classifications.

"U.S. embassies and consulates continue to accept and process H-1B and H-4 nonimmigrant visa applications. We encourage applicants to apply as early as they can and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications," the embassy outlined in a post on social media platform X.

According to the embassy, the screening is being orchestrated in order to address the alleged abuse of the H-1B program while still permitting companies to hire the "best of the best temporary foreign workers."

The Department of State expanded online presence reviews across the globe on Dec. 15 for all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening.

On the day of commencement of the screening, the US Department of State said that this step is a part of comprehensive checks to identify individuals who may pose national security or public safety risks.

"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," the US administration announced in a statement on Dec. 3.

Previously applied to F, M, and J visa holders, the review now requires all applicants to adjust social media privacy settings to “public” to facilitate vetting. The F, M and J visas are used by students and visitors under exchange programmes.

"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 State Department uses all available information in visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States," the Department of State had added.