The United States has begun postponing large numbers of H-1B and H-4 visa interviews as consular posts prepare to roll out new online screening requirements, prompting widespread appointment cancellations and pushing many applicants’ interviews to spring 2026.
The shift has created fresh uncertainty for workers and families who rely on the visas to travel, begin new jobs, or return to ongoing employment in the United States.
Applicants first noticed the disruption in early December, when interview slots scheduled for mid- and late-month began disappearing from the system.
Immigration law firm Fragomen confirmed that it had received numerous reports of abrupt rescheduling, with many applicants being reassigned to dates in March. U.S. consulates in India, the busiest processing centers for H-1B and H-4 visas, have sent emails indicating that the delays stem from new government-mandated background checks beginning December 15.
What the updated screening rules are
- Applicants will be required to make accounts accessible to officers during the vetting process, adding a layer of scrutiny that officials say will take more time per case.
- As a result, consulates expect a temporary but significant reduction in the number of interviews they can conduct each day.
To prevent long lines, operational bottlenecks, and same-day backlogs inside consular buildings, officers are cancelling many December interviews outright and spacing appointments months apart.
While applicants will still be required to attend their biometric appointments where fingerprints and photographs are taken, the in-person interview that determines visa approval will occur later, sometimes several months after biometrics are completed.
The new screening procedures come during a period of broader change for the H-1B program. Earlier in the year, the U.S. government introduced modernization rules intended to curb perceived misuse of the system and ensure that the program remains targeted at “speciality occupations.”
The changes tightened degree-relevance requirements, imposed additional compliance obligations on employers, and narrowed the interpretation of roles that qualify for the visa.
What you should know
In September, federal officials announced a one-time $100,000 fee for all new H-1B petitions, exempting only petitions for continued employment. The announcement alarmed companies that rely heavily on H-1B workers, particularly in India’s technology sector, where firms routinely recruit highly skilled employees for U.S. assignments.
Critics of the fee argue that it will deter new hiring, while supporters say it will reduce program abuse and raise funds for domestic workforce initiatives.
For workers and employers, the overlapping rule changes and the latest round of interview delays mark an increasingly complex landscape.
Applicants now face longer wait times and expanded vetting, while companies navigating the new rules say the uncertainty complicates project planning and staffing. U.S. officials have not indicated when consular interview operations may return to normal levels, leaving many applicants in limbo as they wait for clearer guidance.
