A rapidly worsening backlog at United States consulates across India has pushed H-1B visa-stamping interview appointments as far as 2027, severely disrupting the lives of thousands of Indian professionals and their families. Multiple media reports and immigration experts say the delays have left many workers stranded in India, unable to return to their jobs in the US and separated for extended periods from spouses and children.
The problem first became visible in December 2025, when applicants saw their interview dates shifted from that month to March 2026. Those appointments were then moved again to October 2026, and in many cases have now been rescheduled to 2027. Immigration lawyers say the pace and scale of these deferrals are unprecedented, with no clear indication that the situation will improve in the near future.
As a result, experts are strongly advising H-1B holders currently working in the US not to travel to India for visa stamping unless it is absolutely unavoidable. According to them, securing a timely interview slot has become nearly impossible, and once applicants leave the US, there is a high risk they will be unable to return for months or even years.
Speaking to The Times of India, Emily Neumann, a partner at a Houston-based immigration law firm, said she had not seen any new H-1B interview slots open in India for nearly 50 days. She warned that professionals already in the US should not attempt to book stamping appointments in India at all, adding that the current visa environment is far more restrictive than during the Joe Biden administration and appears focused on limiting visa approvals.
Echoing these concerns, American Bazaar quoted another immigration lawyer familiar with the issue, who said regular interview appointments are virtually unavailable until 2027. Applicants who travelled to India for stamping in recent weeks were reportedly informed that their interviews had been cancelled, while those with appointments in January and February received revised dates more than a year later.
The initial wave of delays began in December 2025, when interviews scheduled for that month were pushed to the March–June 2026 window and later moved again to October 2026. Consulates in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata have effectively exhausted their supply of regular interview slots, forcing officials to reschedule existing appointments by as much as 18 months.
According to media reports, the backlog was triggered by a policy change introduced on December 15, 2025, which made mandatory social-media screening compulsory for employment-based visa applicants. This additional scrutiny has significantly increased processing time per applicant, sharply reducing the number of interviews consulates can conduct each day.
In a New Year’s Eve post on X, the US Embassy in India warned applicants that violating US immigration law carries consequences, even as interview wait times continued to stretch well into 2026 and beyond. The situation has been further aggravated by the US State Department ending a long-standing option that allowed Indian nationals to seek visa stamping in third countries, concentrating demand entirely on Indian consulates.
The impact has been swift and deeply personal. Thousands of Indian H-1B professionals who travelled to India for what they expected would be routine visa stamping are now unable to return, as their interview dates are repeatedly pushed back. Social media platforms, especially Reddit, are filled with posts from frustrated applicants sharing screenshots of rescheduling emails and warning others against travelling.
One applicant wrote that a February 18, 2026 appointment in Chennai had been moved to May 24, 2027, forcing the cancellation of travel plans and putting employment at risk. Many others reported similar experiences, with appointments shifted to April and May 2027, prompting fears that such delays may become the new norm.
For families, the consequences include prolonged separation, with some H-1B holders stuck in India while spouses and children remain in the US. School schedules, housing arrangements, and employment contracts have been disrupted, according to applicants and immigration advocacy groups.
There is also concern that if H-1B holders remain outside the US after their visas expire, employers may be unable to file extensions and could be forced to restart the application process. Neumann told The Washington Post that companies are now far less willing to do so because of the roughly $100,000 cost associated with new H-1B petitions introduced under the Donald Trump administration.
The delays are also affecting American employers, particularly in technology, healthcare, and education, where H-1B professionals play a critical role. Extended absences disrupt teams, delay projects, and increase costs. Companies such as Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, and Tech Mahindra are reportedly prioritising the hiring of US citizens to reduce uncertainty.
Some employers are exploring remote-work arrangements or temporary role changes, though lawyers say such fixes are limited by immigration rules. Amazon has allowed certain stranded Indian employees to work remotely under strict conditions.
With no clarity on when additional interview slots might open, uncertainty continues to cloud the lives of skilled workers who form the backbone of several US industries. What was once a routine administrative step has turned into a prolonged and emotionally exhausting ordeal, with no clear end in sight.
