Why H-1B workers fear lost jobs, prolonged exile by a rule they didn’t see coming
- Updated: Dec 13, 2025, 19:28 IST IST
What was meant to be a routine stop for visa stamping at the US embassy/consulate in India before heading back to the US could now end up being a long ordeal with appointments being pushed forward by months thanks to a new social-media vetting rule
They came to India for the usual reasons — a winter vacation, a cousin’s wedding, a family emergency, a work trip, or to settle ageing parents back home for the season. Some travelled alone, others with spouses and children on H-4 visas.
Their existing H-1B visa stamp had expired (even if H-1B visa status is valid) or it was their first time travelling outside the US after changing to H-1B status inside the country. Either way, it was expected to be a short, routine stop for visa stamping at the US embassy/consulate in India to before returning to their lives.
