United States consulates in India have begun canceling some H-1B and H-4 visa stamp application interviews originally scheduled for December 2025 and January 2026, and rescheduling these appointments for a later date. Although the cancelation and rescheduling of H-1B and H-4 appointments is currently limited to consulates in India, it is possible that consulates in other countries may soon follow this practice.
The U.S. consulates state that the reason for postponing these visa stamp applications is related to the “online presence” review now required of all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants, effective December 15, 2025. The U.S. consulates add that the additional review has created “operational constraints” which requires them to reduce the number of visa applicants interviewed each day. We previously reported on the State Department’s (DOS’) announcement that it will conduct enhanced social media vetting of H-1B and H-4 visa applicants beginning December 15th. (United States Consulates to Expand Online Social Media Screening to H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants | Tafapolsky & Smith LLP).
T&S has been receiving reports that visa stamp appointments are being rescheduled for March 2026 or later – in some cases as late as July 2026. Biometrics appointments related to H-1B and H-4 visa applications are not being changed. It appears that visa application appointment cancelation and rescheduling is occurring on a chronological or rolling basis, with the earliest scheduled appointments (i.e., those shortly after December 15, 2025) being canceled and rescheduled first. It is likely that some appointments currently scheduled for late December and January will be rescheduled in the coming days.
The email sent from the U.S. visa scheduling service to the visa applicants whose appointments are being postponed asks applicants not to contact the consulate and to appear at the consulate on the rescheduled date. Visa applicants are also being informed that if they are unable to attend their rescheduled appointments, they will have to select a new appointment date, but may only do so once. However, applicants are reporting that there is currently no option to reschedule their appointment on the visa services website. There is no information from the U.S. Consulates when the ability to reschedule appointments will be restored, so impacted individual should monitor the visa services website.
Individuals impacted by the rescheduling of visa stamp applications may be able to return to the U.S. without obtaining a new visa stamp if they possess a valid visa stamp and still meet the requirements for entering the U.S. using that visa stamp. Unfortunately, for many individuals with rescheduled appointments, their travel plans will be disrupted due to the delay in their ability to obtain a visa stamp and travel to the U.S.
The consulates allow applicants to submit emergency visa appointments. However, a request for an emergency visa appointment will almost certainly be unsuccessful, except in the most exigent of humanitarian circumstances. Consulates are likely to be deluged with such requests and will view them with skepticism.
All H-1B and H-4 nonimmigrants who plan to travel overseas and will require new visas to reenter the United States are strongly encouraged to postpone such travel unless they are prepared to remain outside the United States for several months. As noted above, the practice of canceling and rescheduling H-1B and H-4 visa application appointments appears to be restricted to consulates in India at this time, but it is possible that consulates in other countries will begin rescheduling appointments in the coming days.
