The outlet said that there were hundreds, and possibly thousands, of H-1B visa holders who went back to India in December to renew their H-1B visas for the upcoming year but are now stuck in the country for the foreseeable future until they renew their visas at a later date. The appointments were cancelled between the dates of Dec.15 and 26.
In documents reviewed by the outlet from the US State Department, the visa holder interviews were being delayed because of the implementation of the new social media vetting policy that was established by the Trump administration. The policy states that social media accounts connected to those foreign nationals coming to the US are vetted “to ensure that no applicants … pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety.”
Those mostly impacted are middle-aged tech workers who have lived for years in the United States and work for various companies in high-skilled positions. A spokesman for the State Department said, “While in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritizing thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else.”
Earlier in December, the State Department announced that there would be an expanded screening and vetting of H-1B visa as well as Dependent H-4 visa applicants that expanded “the requirement that an online presence review be conducted for all H-1B applicants and their dependents.”
The policy was implemented on Dec. 15, and the proximity to the Christmas season may contribute to the delay. The delay in the visa appointments comes as there has been a general pushback on H-1B visas in a portion of the GOP in the US. President Donald Trump has also been cracking down on the issuing of visas to those looking to travel to the United States.
