The US visa appointment delays are causing challenges for citizens, including disruptions to their schooling, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs. To address these concerns, talks with US officials are still ongoing.
According to Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, the government is worried about the ongoing delays and cancellations in H-1B visa appointments, which have caused citizens inconvenience, including disruptions to their schooling. To address these issues, the Ministry is in talks with US officials in Washington, DC, and New Delhi.
Following a number of policy changes by the Trump administration, including social media screening for applicants, H-!B visa interviews were postponed or cancelled.
Indian citizens who are having trouble setting up or rescheduling appointments for US visas have made many complaints to the Indian government. At MEA's weekly press briefing, Jaiswal stated, "India has brought up these concerns with the US authorities in New Delhi and Washington DC, even though visa matters fall under the sovereign domain of the issuing country."
He acknowledged the problem for applicants and promised the government will actively participate.
"Affected people and their families have experienced prolonged hardships as a result of these delays, including interruptions to their education. In order to resolve the problem and lessen its effects on Indian citizens, the administration is still actively working with the US side," he continued.
Delays and cancellations of H-1B visa appointments
The US Embassy in India has announced that its office in New Delhi and its five consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, to Friday, December 26. This announcement coincides with delays in visa appointments, which may be prolonged.
Donald Trump's recently issued Presidential Executive Order, which requires the shutdown of federal executive departments and agencies on specific dates, prompted the declaration.
Immigration attorneys said that visa interviews for highly skilled Indian workers were canceled from December 15 to December 26, which fell during the US holiday season. The State Department informed applicants that their interviews had been delayed after the Trump administration's expanded social media screening policy went into effect. This was done "to ensure that no applicants... pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety," according to emails reviewed by The Washington Post.
In the past, the US embassy in India requested that applicants for visas not go to the consular offices on the day of their planned interviews.
"Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date if you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled," the statement read. "Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate."
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