"Biggest mess we've seen": Immigration attorneys on Indians stuck because of a delay in renewing their H-1B visa

A US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report from April 2025 states that 71% of H-1B visa holders are from India.

After Indian H-1B visa applicants who returned this month to renew their American work permits became stuck, immigration attorneys criticized the US authorities, calling it the "biggest message" they had seen.

This coincides with US consular authorities abruptly rescheduling many H-1B visa renewal appointments. The Indian high-skilled workers' appointments were canceled between December 15 and 26, which fell during the US holiday season, according to the attorneys quoted in a Washington Post article.

Veena Vijay Ananth, an immigration lawyer in India, Emily Neumann, a partner at the Houston-based Reddy Neumann Brown PC, and Charles Kuck, an immigration lawyer in Atlanta, were all mentioned in the Washington Post article. The other two claimed to have twelve similar instances apiece, while Neumann claimed to have at least 100 clients stuck in India.

"We have never seen a catastrophe like this. Veena Vijay Ananth told the Washington Post, "I'm not convinced there is a plan.

"How long are companies going to be willing to wait for these people?" Neumann inquired.

A US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) report from April 2025 states that 71% of H-1B visa holders are from India.

What is stated by the US State Department?
Following the adoption of the Donald Trump administration's new social media vetting policy, the US State Department informed visa holders that their interviews would be postponed "to ensure that no applicants... pose a threat to US national security or public safety," according to the article.

"Our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritizing thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else, whereas in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times," a State Department spokesperson stated.

On December 10, the US Embassy in India also issued a statement stating that all H-1B specialty occupation workers and their H-4 dependents are now included in the US's evaluation of social media and online presence.

The Department of State already does online presence checks for student and exchange visitor visa categories like F, M, and J, according to a statement from the US Embassy. H-1B and H-4 candidates will also be reviewed beginning on December 15.

In July, the State Department declared that, as of September 2, H-1B holders and their families on H-4 visas would not be permitted to renew their documents in a third nation. September 19, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications.

Only people or businesses submitting new H-1B applications or entering the H-1B lottery after September 21 are subject to the new fee obligation.