Indian professionals seeking to renew or stamp H-1B visas were hit by a double blow this week. From 15 December, the US State Department activated a mandatory ‘online-presence review’, requiring all H-1B and H-4 applicants to submit social-media handles and digital footprints for vetting. Almost simultaneously, US consulates across India cancelled hundreds of December interview slots, pushing many appointments into March-May 2026.
Adding fuel to the controversy, Indian-origin former diplomat Mahvash Siddiqui published a scathing commentary on 16 December calling for a complete pause and audit of the H-1B programme, alleging systemic fraud in application documents and “honor-among-thieves” bribery networks she observed while serving in Chennai.
![US tightens grip on H-1B visas; Indian applicants face mass appointment rescheduling]()
The sudden interview reshuffle has stranded many H-1B holders who travelled home for year-end vacations, leaving them unable to return to US jobs until new slots open. Immigration lawyers are advising clients to avoid non-essential travel and to carry proof of ongoing US employment in case of prolonged stays.
For Indian IT and consulting firms, delayed redeployment of onsite staff could hit project timelines and trigger penalty clauses. HR teams are mapping employee travel over the next quarter and evaluating alternatives such as Canada’s Global Talent Stream or remote-work arrangements.
Policy analysts see the tougher screening as part of Washington’s broader election-year push to demonstrate immigration enforcement. Whether Siddiqui’s call for a moratorium gains traction remains uncertain, but industry bodies Nasscom and US-India Business Council have already asked the State Department to add extra interview capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad to clear the backlog.
Adding fuel to the controversy, Indian-origin former diplomat Mahvash Siddiqui published a scathing commentary on 16 December calling for a complete pause and audit of the H-1B programme, alleging systemic fraud in application documents and “honor-among-thieves” bribery networks she observed while serving in Chennai.
The sudden interview reshuffle has stranded many H-1B holders who travelled home for year-end vacations, leaving them unable to return to US jobs until new slots open. Immigration lawyers are advising clients to avoid non-essential travel and to carry proof of ongoing US employment in case of prolonged stays.
For Indian IT and consulting firms, delayed redeployment of onsite staff could hit project timelines and trigger penalty clauses. HR teams are mapping employee travel over the next quarter and evaluating alternatives such as Canada’s Global Talent Stream or remote-work arrangements.
Policy analysts see the tougher screening as part of Washington’s broader election-year push to demonstrate immigration enforcement. Whether Siddiqui’s call for a moratorium gains traction remains uncertain, but industry bodies Nasscom and US-India Business Council have already asked the State Department to add extra interview capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad to clear the backlog.
