A recently introduced U.S. State Department regulation mandating that all H-1B visa holders and their H-4 dependents make their social-media accounts fully public for the purpose of visa vetting has caused profound unease throughout Indian immigrant communities, which constitute the vast majority of America’s high-skilled temporary workers.
The policy is scheduled to take effect on December 15, at a time when Indian nationals receive more than 70 per cent of all H-1B visa approvals and close to 90 per cent of H-4 Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). Thousands of these families have constructed their lives—careers, home mortgages, and children’s education—around the expectation of continuous lawful status in the United States.
Immigration attorneys report that the requirement, which empowers consular officers to examine applicants’ public posts on platforms such as X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, has generated intense fear. They warn that even innocuous comments, expressions of political opinion, or minor discrepancies with résumé details could prompt additional scrutiny and potential visa denials.
The uncertainty has already translated into tangible disruption. Major technology companies with significant Indian workforces are urgently counselling employees to conduct thorough audits of their social media profiles, refrain from posting or sharing political memes, and ensure that only professional email addresses are listed on visa petitions.
National media outlets have confirmed that visa interview appointments at U.S. consulates across India-wide have been suddenly cancelled without prior notice. Affected posts include Hyderabad and Chennai, among others.
Numerous applicants have discovered that their previously scheduled December interviews have been unilaterally rescheduled to March 2026 or later. The abrupt changes have left newly hired employees unable to begin their jobs in the United States, families separated across continents, and individuals who travelled to India for short visits—such as weddings or to accompany elderly parents—stranded and unable to return.
Also Read: H-1B visa fee hike may hit US more than India: GTRI
According to the State Department, the new rule merely extends to H-1B and H-4 applicants an online-presence screening process that has long been applied to student and exchange visitors. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the agency stated in its official guidance. Under the new requirements, applicants are now obligated to switch all listed social-media profiles to public settings so that consular officers may review them during the vetting process.
The department has defended the measure as indispensable for national security. “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the guidance emphasises, adding that the enhanced vetting procedures are necessary to ensure that visa recipients “do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests.”
Also Read: US may exempt doctors from new $100K H1B visa fee
Follow us
