Immigration attorneys in the United States are urging H-1B visa holders to put travel plans to India on hold, warning that the ongoing wave of visa-interview rescheduling could leave workers stuck abroad for months.
Over the past few weeks, U.S. consulates in India have quietly begun shifting hundreds of previously confirmed visa-stamping appointments to dates far into 2026. Many applicants say they received emails late at night informing them that their December or January interviews had been postponed to spring — and in some cases, early summer of next year.
For thousands of Indian tech workers who rely on timely stamping to return to the U.S. and maintain their employment, this sudden bottleneck has created a new layer of uncertainty.
Experts Advise H-1B Workers to Avoid India Travel as Visa Interview Delays Worsen
Immigration lawyer Daniel Price, who represents several H-1B families, says the pattern is alarming.
“The problem isn’t just delays. It’s the unpredictability,” he explains. “People are flying home thinking they’ll be back at work in two weeks, and suddenly their interview is pushed three months out. That gap can cost someone their job.”
Consular officials have not publicly detailed the reason behind the abrupt schedule changes, but attorneys believe the shift is tied to expanded background-review procedures, which now involve deeper checks of applicants’ digital and social-media footprints. The added screening has reportedly slowed down the number of interviews that consular staff can process each day.
For H-1B workers, the consequences can be harsh. Many U.S. employers cannot legally allow employees to work from another country for extended periods. A delayed visa, therefore, doesn’t just disrupt travel — it can create payroll conflicts, contract violations, and in rare cases, termination risks.
Families are feeling the strain as well. Some applicants who traveled for routine stamping are now separated from spouses or children in the U.S., waiting for new appointments that remain weeks away.
Attorneys are advising visa holders to stay put in the United States unless travel is absolutely essential. Those who must go, they say, should be prepared for unexpected delays and should monitor consulate messages closely, as older appointment slips may no longer be valid once new dates are assigned.
For now, the rescheduling trend shows no sign of slowing, leaving the Indian H-1B community anxious as the holiday travel season approaches. And until the consulates increase capacity or streamline their screening procedures, immigration experts warn that this disruption could continue well into the new year.
