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'Stuck in India': H-1B worker on unpaid leave shares ordeal after US visa interview gets rescheduled
A stranded H-1B visa holder has shared their ordeal after a December interview appointment was rescheduled to March 2026 amid enhanced US security checks.
Amid the ongoing US visa chaos, a stranded H-1B holder has shared their ordeal after their December visa interview was abruptly rescheduled to March 2026.
In a post shared on the workplace forum Blind, the individual said that they are stuck in India because of the mass visa rescheduling. The anonymous user shared that they received an email informing them that their December appointment had been moved months ahead. The user wrote that March was “literally three months away,” leaving them unable to return to the US as planned.
“so i am one of those unlucky souls who got hit by the mass rescheduling bs this week. had my h1b interview scheduled for december and got an email saying its moved to march 2026. MARCH. thats literally 3 months away,” the post read.
The user claimed that the rescheduling was linked to new social-media-based security checks introduced by the US State Department earlier this month. According to the user, applicants’ online activity across platforms such as X, Instagram and LinkedIn is now being reviewed as part of enhanced vetting, contributing to widespread delays in visa processing.
The H-1B holder said the lack of clear communication has added to the stress. “The worst part is nobody knows what's happening. The immigration team at my company is clueless, HR is giving generic responses like ‘we understand your frustration’,” the post said, adding that the responses offered little clarity on next steps.
(Also Read: Stranded H-1B worker urges fellow Indians in US to avoid booking interview slots amid visa chaos)
‘Stuck in India’
The individual said they are currently stuck in India on unpaid leave after their I-94 expired. They added that they have been relying on personal savings while awaiting further updates. They also said that they had requested permission to work from their company’s India office but had not received a response at the time of posting.
Adding to the uncertainty, the user further noted that from January 1, visa applicants will be allowed only one free rescheduling, after which they will have to pay the visa fee again, which costs around ₹16,000. “If I miss March or need to change again i gotta pay the entire visa fee again,” the user explained.
“Thousands of us got hit at the same time. december was supposed to be peak season for h1b stamping and they just wiped out the entire month. people who took expensive flights, booked hotels, all of that just gone,” they added.
US visa crackdown
Notably, the post comes as several H-1B holders report delays following additional screening measures introduced by the US State Department. The enhanced checks have pushed visa interviews well into next year, leaving many workers stranded in India and uncertain about their ability to return to the US in the coming months.
