Why Are So Many H-1B Visa Holders Stuck in India?

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Over hundreds of Indian professionals on H-1B visas are stranded in India after their visa appointments were abruptly cancelled and postponed. They are currently unable to return to their jobs after travelling to India for visa renewals this month. Hence, what was intended to be a holiday trip timed around the US holiday season has become a prolonged wait. The sudden disruption has affected many applicants whose interviews were previously scheduled between December 15 and December 26.

So what exactly did this disruption stem from? Here, our EB-1A green card consultancy has analysed this news in detail and answered what the postponement means and when it might lift.

Why did the visa interviews pile up at the US embassies & consulates in India?

The main precipitating cause behind the crisis was the mass postponement of the H-1B and H-4 visa interviews that were already scheduled at the US embassies and consulates in India. Most sources have pointed out that all interviews set from December 15 onward were impacted by this mass postponement.

When enquired about the cause behind such a mass postponement, the US State Department revealed that the interviews are being pushed back following the latest rollout of enhanced vetting and screening measures. According to a report by The Washington Post, the US State Department said that the rollout was intended “to ensure that no applicants … pose a threat to US national security or public safety.”

The US Embassy in India, likewise, issued a public advisory on December 9. They warned the applicants not to appear at a diplomatic mission on their original interview dates if they had received notices for rescheduling.

The aftermath: jobs on hold and families torn apart

The notice and the abrupt suspension have caused quite a stir. Most of the people on the receiving end are mid-career professionals with stable and established lives in the United States. We came to learn about the experience of some such individuals from a report published in The Washington Post. An Indian resident of the Detroit suburb told the newsletter about his own malady and complications. He travelled to India in early December for a family wedding. His visa interviews were scheduled for December 17 and December 23. Both of these appointments were cancelled, and left him stranded in India, i.e. unable to return to the U.S.

In other words, the abrupt postponement has created severe panic and anxiety among workers, with many fearing that their jobs might be at stake. The fear and concern could also be discerned in the opinion of the immigration lawyers. Many have raised questions about how long the employers will be able to hold the positions open when there is already uncertainty and volatility plaguing the technology and consulting market. The corporate and tech firms have also released advisories to their employees, requesting them not to travel abroad if they need visa-stamping to re-enter the US.

The key reason behind this abrupt postponement and the ongoing stagnancy is none other than the recently enforced social media vetting. Defending the need for rigorous checks, a USCIS spokesperson has commented: “While in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else.”

For the latest updates and insights, stay tuned to our blog section. If you need advice or consultation on U.S. permanent residency, you can directly reach out to our EB-1 experts. We wish you a smooth and stress-free immigration journey.