Delhi: A major disruption has hit thousands of Indian professionals and their families after the Donald Trump administration rolled out an expanded social-media vetting mandate for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants. The new screening rules—requiring applicants to keep all social media profiles set to “public”—have triggered a wave of postponements, with many scheduled interviews now pushed from December to March next year.
According to updated instructions from the U.S. Embassy in India, applicants must strictly follow their newly assigned dates. Embassy officials clarified that anyone arriving on their previously allotted schedule will not be allowed entry into the premises. “Mission India looks forward to assisting applicants on their new appointment date,” the Embassy stated, urging individuals to rely only on official communication regarding rescheduling.
Bloomberg reported that several interviews set for December have been deferred, though the exact number of postponed appointments remains undisclosed. The sudden change has caused anxiety among Indian tech workers, particularly those waiting to reunite with family members whose H-4 visas depend on the primary H-1B holder.
The new directive, issued by the U.S. State Department on December 3, mandates that from December 15 onwards, the online presence of all H-1B applicants and their dependents will undergo review. This enhanced digital scrutiny was previously applied to F, M, and J category students and exchange visitors, but has now been expanded significantly in scope.
The Biden administration had earlier tightened background checks, but the Trump administration’s return has led to even more aggressive vetting, following rising domestic security concerns in the United States. Officials say the latest move comes in response to a tragic shooting involving two U.S. military personnel—Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe—carried out by an Afghan immigrant, prompting renewed calls for tighter screening of visa applicants’ digital footprints.
