Indian H-1B visa holders are facing prolonged uncertainty after US consulates in India postponed visa appointments due to expanded screening requirements, a move that has drawn criticism from lawmakers even as the Trump administration defends tougher vetting as a national security measure.
Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan said a December 3 State Department decision to extend mandatory online presence reviews to all H-1B applicants and their H-4 dependents has resulted in sudden appointment cancellations and months-long delays. Many families, she said, are now stranded outside the US despite having jobs, homes and children enrolled in American schools.
In a December 17 letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Dingell described the situation as serious, citing families in her district who are unable to return to the US after their visa appointments were abruptly rescheduled. In one case, an appointment was pushed back by three months less than 48 hours before it was due, after the family had already traveled.
Dingell warned that children, including US citizens, risk missing months of school and urged the State Department to clarify timelines and safeguards to prevent families from being left in limbo.
The State Department, however, defended the move. Deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the administration is ending what it sees as an era of mass migration and restoring strict vetting standards. He said visa security is inseparable from border security and emphasised an “America-first” immigration approach.
