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US visa row: H-1B, H-4 holders warned against planning emergency trip to India, ‘Don’t take a chance’
H-1B and H-4 visa holders should think twice about traveling to India amid significant visa appointment delays, stated an immigration lawyer.
Amid US visa row under Trump administration, an immigration lawyer has advised H-1B or H-4 visa holders to reconsider their emergency travel plans before buying tickets to India.
Visa applicants are currently experiencing prolonged and unpredictable delays in India following the implementation of expanded social media vetting on December 15. These delays have caused significant concern among many workers and their dependents regarding the timing and possibility of their return to the US.
Back in December, several visa appointments in India were cancelled and subsequently rescheduled for March 2026, April, or even later. Many applicants who have interviews set for April express uncertainty about whether they should proceed with their travel plans, apprehensive about the potential for further postponements.
Immigration lawyer warns H-1B and H-4 visa holders
Immigration attorney Rahul Reddy warned that H-1B and H-4 visa holders who cannot go back to the US without obtaining new visa stamps should refrain from traveling to India unless it is absolutely required.
“Those who are planning to travel for visa stamping should not take a chance, even if they have April appointments. There is a strong possibility that those dates could also get deferred,” Reddy stated, as per Business Standard.
He stated that anyone who chooses to travel should be ready for a prolonged stay in India as no one can predict how long it will take or what new regulations may be implemented.
What are emergency visa appointments?
US consular offices occasionally permit emergency visa appointments in cases of urgent and unforeseen circumstances where the applicant cannot afford to wait for a standard appointment. The approvals are subject to variation and depend on the availability of slots.
Reddy further mentioned that emergency options in India are presently limited.
He clarified that family emergencies do not always meet the criteria. The emergency pertains to traveling to India, not returning to the US, the lawyer clarified. “The US administration is not stopping anyone from travelling to India, so visa officers don’t see a reason to take up these cases urgently.”
H-1B and H-4 visa holders may face job woes
Reddy also cautioned about the potential loss of employment while being stranded outside the United States.
If an individual loses their job while in India, the likelihood of securing a position with another company is quite low, he stated. “The new employer would have to file a fresh petition and pay the $100,000 H-1B fee, which many companies are not willing to do.”
For numerous H-1B and H-4 visa holders, what would typically be considered routine travel has evolved into a challenging decision, with timelines that remain uncertain extending well into 2026.
