H-1B visa imbroglio persists as US consulates defer interview dates to 2027

What seemed to be a months-long delay has now turned into a year-long delay. American consulates across India have deferred H-1B visa-stamping interview dates beyond 2026, lengthening problems that Indian professionals working in the US have faced.

It has been reported that visa offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad do not have regular interview slots on offer.

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The delays began in late 2025, a year when the US’s Donald Trump administration came up with a series of measures tightening immigration. The consulates rescheduled appointments set for December to March 2026. But those interviews were later pushed to October 2026 and now many of them to 2027.

The backlog arises as Washington DC reconfigures the H-1B programme. On December 29, 2025, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services released new regulations for the fiscal year 2027. The yearly limit of 85,000 visas remains the same, which includes 20,000 set aside for applicants holding postgraduate degrees from US institutions.

The method of selection changes.

As per the new rule, visas will not be assigned by chance anymore. Registrations will be ranked using wage levels that have been set up by the US labour department. The Trump administration has replaced the older lottery system with a, wage-based selection process to prefer skilled, higher-paid workers. The rule takes effect from February 27, 2026.

Policy reforms delay processes

Policy reforms have slowed down the visa procedure as well. In December, the US began compulsory social-media screening for employment-based visa applicants. The heightened scrutiny has led to an increase in the processing time for each applicant, while simultaneously decreasing the number of interviews that consulates are able to conduct daily.

No visa-stamping in third countries

Another reason for the delay in the visa procedure is the US state department’s decision to discontinue the option that permitted Indian nationals to obtain visa-stamping in third countries. This has led to a complete concentration of demand on Indian consulates, exacerbating delays.

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Texas-based immigration attorney Emily Neumann said in the last 50 days, she did not hear about any fresh visa-interview slots opening for India, the Times of India reported.

She advised H-1B visa holders who are in the US not to try to get an appointment for visa-stamping in India.

'A completely different world'

"They are not in any hurry to give you a visa. They are trying to deny visas whenever they can. It is a completely different world from what we saw during the Biden administration," she was quoted as saying by the publication.

"This administration does not want to give you visa."

The Times report added that the state department has also decided to revoke visas prudentially. The H-4 visa-holders are getting their visas revoked because of their H-1B spouses.

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Prudential visa revocation refers to the annulment of the visa by the authorities due to new information indicating that the visa holder may not qualify for the visa.

US employers feeling the pinch

The long delay is already putting pressure on American employers, particularly technology firms, healthcare providers and educational bodies that heavily depend on H-1B professionals for specialised work. Extended absences of the employees have affected projects and their cost-effectiveness.

Also read: Indian H-1B visa holders stranded as US delays interviews

Immigration experts have warned that further delays could harm the US’s ability to bring global talent to the country and fall behind other nations that steadily look to streamline visa procedures for skilled workers.