The US Embassy in India stated that the Department of State began reviewing the online presence of all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants as part of routine visa screening starting December 15. The embassy also noted that US consulates and embassies continue to accept and process them, advising applicants to submit their applications as early as possible and to expect longer processing times for these visa categories. This comes amid thousands of Indians left stranded due to visa renewal delays. This global vetting process applies to applicants of all nationalities and aims to prevent abuse of the H-1B program while allowing companies to recruit highly skilled temporary foreign workers, it added. (This is a developing story. More to come)