- US consulates in India have delayed H-1B visa interviews to 2027, causing major disruptions
- Delays started in December 2025 and escalated due to rescheduling of appointments multiple times
- New US rules include social media screening and end of third-country visa stamping for Indians
US consulates across India have pushed H-1B visa-stamping interview dates to 2027, creating major disruptions for Indian professionals working in the United States. Visa offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata no longer have regular interview slots available.
The delays began in December 2025, when consulates rescheduled appointments set for the month to March 2026. Officials later moved those interviews to October 2026 and have now pushed many dates into 2027.
The backlog comes as the US reshapes the H-1B programme. On December 29, 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services published new rules for the 2027 fiscal year. The annual cap of 85,000 visas remains unchanged, including 20,000 reserved for applicants with US postgraduate degrees.
Policy changes have also driven the slowdown. On December 15, 2025, the US introduced mandatory social media screening for employment-based visa applicants. The added scrutiny increased processing time per applicant and reduced the number of interviews consulates can conduct each day.
The US State Department has also ended the option that allowed Indian nationals to seek visa stamping in third countries. That decision has concentrated demand entirely on Indian consulates, worsening delays.
Under the new system, USCIS will give greater weight to salary and experience levels in the lottery. Employers filing petitions for Level IV workers will receive four lottery entries, Level III workers three, Level II workers two and Level I workers one. The lottery will open in early March.
US employers are already feeling the strain. Technology companies, healthcare providers and educational institutions rely heavily on H-1B professionals for specialised roles. Extended absences have delayed projects, disrupted teams and raised costs.
Some firms now allow limited remote work or shift responsibilities temporarily. Others, including Indian IT companies with US operations, have increased hiring of American citizens to reduce risk.
Immigration experts warn that prolonged delays could weaken the US ability to attract global talent, especially as other countries streamline skilled-worker visa processes.
