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'Stuck in India, company ghosting me': H-1B worker shares ordeal after US visa appointment delay
An Indian H-1B worker says a delayed US visa appointment has left him stranded in India, with no clarity from his employer on work or pay.
Amid ongoing disruption to US visa processing, an Indian H-1B worker has shared his ordeal after his visa renewal appointment was abruptly rescheduled, leaving him stranded in India with no clarity from his employer.
In a post on workplace forum Blind titled “h1b appointment delayed stuck in India and company ghosting me wtf do i do”, the employee wrote that his visa interview was pushed back indefinitely, throwing both his job and legal status into uncertainty. “Visa appointment rescheduled and now I’m stuck here indefinitely. Manager asking if I can work remotely from India but payroll situation unclear. HR and lawyers not giving straight answers,” the post read.
The man added that he was unsure whether working remotely from India would even be legal, or if he would remain on unpaid leave until his visa came through. “This is such a mess,” he concluded, asking if others had faced similar situations and how they handled it.
(Also Read: Stranded H-1B worker urges fellow Indians in US to avoid booking interview slots amid visa chaos)
H-1B visa woes
Notably, the post reflects the growing anxiety among hundreds of Indian H-1B visa holders who travelled to India in December to renew their work permits, only to see their US consular appointments cancelled at short notice. Many were later given fresh dates several months away, effectively stranding them outside the US.
HT previously reported that the cancellations were linked to a new US visa vetting policy, under which authorities conduct expanded reviews of applicants’ online and social media presence. US officials have said these “online presence reviews” are aimed at screening individuals who may pose a national security risk.
(Also Read: 'Stuck in India': H-1B worker on unpaid leave shares ordeal after US visa interview gets rescheduled)
Over the past two weeks, hundreds (or possibly thousands) of highly skilled foreign workers have been affected. According to a report by The Washington Post, immigration attorneys said many H-1B holders who returned to India to update their work permits saw their appointments cancelled without warning and rescheduled months later, leaving them unable to return to their jobs in the US.
