H-1B visa holders stranded in India as US embassy cancels interviews due to new social media vetting policy

New Delhi/Washington (The Uttam Hindu): Tightening of US immigration policies has suddenly increased the difficulties of Indian H-1B visa holders. Hundreds of NRIs who came to India to renew their work permits are now unable to return to the US. Due to the new social media vetting (screening) policy, visa appointments have been postponed until next year, resulting in interviews scheduled for December now being expected in March.

According to reports, the US Embassy in India has canceled several consular appointments scheduled between December 15 and 26 without prior notice. This decision has left a large number of Indian professionals stranded in India who were in India for weddings, family events, or vacations.

Companies' concerns grow:

In view of the indefinite delay in visa renewals, many big tech companies including Google have advised their employees to avoid international travel. According to a report in The Washington Post, in many cases, new interview dates are being given months later, leaving companies wondering how long they should wait for their employees. An Indian professional, who had come to India to attend a wedding, was given dates for December 17 and 23, but his appointment was also cancelled. Now he has no clear timeline for his return.

The US administration has stated in an email that the new social media screening policy is causing delays in visa processes. Due to security concerns, extra caution is now being exercised in visa issuance and renewal, which has lengthened the process. Earlier, on December 9, the US Embassy issued an advisory clarifying that if an applicant has received a rescheduling email and still arrives at the embassy, ​​they will not be granted entry.

What is the Social Media Vetting Policy?

The social media screening policy for H-1B and H-4 visas was implemented during the tenure of former President Donald Trump. Under this, the applicant's social media activities are examined before issuing or renewing the visa. Applicants have to make the privacy settings of their social media profiles public so that the investigation can be completed. It is worth noting that in September, the Trump administration also imposed a fee of around $100,000 on H-1B visas, due to which this visa has already become quite expensive.