Torn From Families, Indians Now See H-1B Interview Dates Pushed to 2027

A worsening backlog at US consulates across India has pushed H-1B visa-stamping interviews deep into 2027, disrupting the lives of thousands of Indian professionals and separating many from their families and jobs in the US, according to multiple media reports and immigration experts. The first delays surfaced in December 2025, when interviews were pushed first to March 2026, then to October, and now 2027.

Immigration experts say the situation is unlikely to improve anytime soon, and are advising H-1B workers currently in the US to avoid travelling to India for visa stamping, as interview dates continue to get pushed further out.

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WHY ARE H-1B VISA-STAMPING INTERVIEWS GETTING DELAYED?

The first delays, which first surfaced in December 2025 when appointments scheduled for that month were rescheduled between March and June, and then again to October 2026.

Consulates in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata have effectively run out of regular interview slots, forcing officials to again reschedule existing appointments by as much as 18 months to 2027.

According to various media reports, the backlog was triggered by a policy change introduced on December 15, 2025, requiring mandatory social media screening for employment-based visa applicants. The additional scrutiny added significant processing time per applicant, sharply reducing the number of interviews consulates can conduct daily.

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Compounding the problem, the US State Department has also ended a long-standing option that allowed Indian nationals to seek visa stamping in third countries, concentrating demand entirely on Indian consulates.

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IMPACT OF H-1B VISA-STAMPING INTERVIEW DELAYS

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Many fear that if H-1B holders remain outside the US after their visas expire, employers cannot file extensions and might have to restart the application process, with Neumann stating to The Washington Post that no company would now be as willing as before to do so due to the $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications that was put in place by the Trump administration last year.

With no clarity on when additional slots might open, immigration experts are advising H-1B workers currently in the US to avoid travelling to India unless absolutely necessary. Posts by the US mission have also warned applicants not to appear for outdated appointment dates without formal confirmation, as doing so could result in denial of consular services.

HOW ARE AMERICAN EMPLOYERS BEING HIT BY THE DELAYS IN THE H-1B VISA PROGRAMME?

Technology firms depend heavily on experienced H-1B professionals for continuity on long-term projects, and extended absences can disrupt teams, delay deliveries and increase costs. The same is also true for the US’s education and healthcare sectors, which depend on H-1B professionals to mitigate shortages of skilled personnel.

These developments have forced many tech companies, including Indian IT companies with US-based operations such as Wipro, TCS and Tech Mahindra, to prioritise hiring American citizens over Indian immigrants to reduce delays and disruptions.

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