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'Will take necessary time': State Department on postponement of US visa interviews
The US State Department clarifies after the American embassy in India informed visa applicants of a postponement in the application date.
The US State Department confirmed on Wednesday that all H-1B visa applicants and their dependants will now face social media vetting as part of visa process.
"The Department of State conducts thorough vetting of all visa applicants, including an online presence review of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications," the state department said in a statement.
The clarification from the US on X comes after the US embassy in India informed visa applicants of a postponement in the application date. Recently, several visa applicants faced delays amid uncertainty for those wishing to travel to the US in the upcoming months.
Also Read: Many H-1B visa interviews cancelled amid new rules, check guidelines for Indians
"If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate," the US Embassy in India posted on X on Tuesday.
The US government said the move was aimed at ensuring that an applicant has established his eligibility for the visa and does not pose “a risk to the safety and security of the United States”.
Also Read: H-1B woes: Huge uproar as US postpones visa interviews, Here's what Indian applicants should know
The statement comes even as immigration lawyers said that consulates around the world, including those in Hyderabad and Chennai, have cancelled interview appointments originally set for mid to late December 2025.
Many of these interview appointments have now been pushed as far as March 2026, dramatically disrupting travel plans.
The US State Department had earlier announced that every H-1B visa applicant and each accompanying H-4 dependent will be subject to compulsory social-media screening beginning December 15.
