US social media vetting triggers major delays for H-1B visa applicants in India

Expanded US vetting has pushed H-1B interviews in India to next year, as applicants are warned not to appear on earlier dates after reschedule alerts

PGurus Newsdesk

December 10, 2025

New rules require public social media profiles for all H-1B applicants

US embassy postpones H-1B interviews as social media checks begin

The United States’ new social media vetting policy has caused major disruptions for H-1B visa applicants in India, with hundreds of scheduled interviews now pushed into early next year. The US Embassy in India issued an advisory on Tuesday night confirming that appointments are being rescheduled to accommodate expanded security checks.

“If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date,” the advisory said. The Embassy also cautioned applicants that anyone arriving on their earlier appointment date—after receiving a reschedule notice—will be denied entry at the Embassy or Consulate.

According to Bloomberg, interviews originally set for mid- to late December are being deferred to March 2026, although the total number of postponements remains unclear. Immigration attorney Steven Brown said the Embassy’s statement confirms “widespread cancellations,” adding that consular teams are now reallocating time for detailed social media vetting.

Under the revised State Department rules, H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependents must ensure that all social media profiles are set to “public,” enabling US officials to review posts and interactions from December 15 onward. The government said the screening aims to identify applicants who may pose national security or public safety risks. Students and exchange-visa applicants were already subject to similar checks.

“These measures reinforce that every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the State Department noted.

The new policy aligns with the Trump administration’s broader tightening of the H-1B program. In September, President Donald Trump introduced a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B work visas—a move expected to significantly affect Indian professionals. The US has also paused Green Card, citizenship, and other immigration processes for nationals from 19 “countries of concern” following a recent shooting incident involving an Afghan national.

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