The American move may have put thousands of highly skilled workers, who canceled appointments between December 15 and 26, in a tight spot. This is the period that many H-1B holders target as it coincides with the Christmas holiday season. REUTERS A sudden shift in US immigration processing has left thousands of Indian tech professionals in limbo. Pre-scheduled H-1B visa interviews, originally set for late December, have been abruptly postponed — in some cases by several months — as the Trump administration institutes strict new background and social media screening norms. According to reports by Hindustan Times and news agency PTI, applicants with appointments scheduled after December 15 are the primary targets of these cancellations. The delays are not merely marginal; some interviews have been pushed back as far as October 2026. The US Embassy in India has issued an advisory warning applicants not to appear at consular offices on their original dates. While the exact number of individuals affected remains unconfirmed, the scale is being described as a “mass cancellation” affecting several visa categories outside of the H-1B. Earlier this month, in a social media post on X, the embassy said: “If you have received an email notifying you that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you with your new appointment date. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in you being denied entry to the Embassy or Consulate.” The timing of the announcement has created a logistical nightmare for the Indian diaspora. Many applicants have already traveled to India specifically for their stamp interviews. Without a valid visa in their passports, these workers are now legally barred from returning to their jobs and homes in the United States. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of highly skilled workers’ appointments were canceled between Dec. 15 and 26, a period that many H-1B holders are targeting since it coincides with the Christmas holiday season, according to a report by the Times of India. According to a Washington Post report citing official emails, the US State Department said interviews are being delayed following the implementation of the Trump administration’s new social media screening policy “to ensure that no applicants … pose a threat to US national security or public safety.” American companies are facing talent shortages. Prolonged absences may result in termination of employment as US positions remain vacant. The uncertainty comes on the heels of a September proclamation by the Donald Trump administration that raised H-1B fees to a staggering $100,000. American companies, which rely on Indians for about 71% of all approved H-1B applications, are now facing a significant talent shortage. The H-1B visa program is a critical pipeline for the US technology sector, allowing companies to recruit foreign workers with specialized skills. The program is typically granted for an initial three years with a three-year renewal option, and has long been dominated by Indian professionals. Houston-based immigration attorney Emily Neumann criticized the cancellation of the H-1B visa appointments in India. In an X post, Neumann said: “Visa stamping feels like a maze of pitfalls right now. Now appointments are being canceled without warning and pushed out by months. There is no predictability in this process, and this creates real challenges for businesses and employees who need to travel.” Social Media Screening According to the US State Department, a review of the online presence for all H-1B applicants and their dependents will be conducted starting December 15th. Students and exchange visitors were already subject to this review and now the department has expanded this requirement to examine social media profiles to include H1-B applicants and their dependents on H-4 visas. “To facilitate this screening, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are directed to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to ‘public,'” the State Department said.