A prominent Indian American policy group has warned that widespread cancellations and delays in visa appointments are upsetting US business and leaving thousands of highly skilled workers overseas, and it has urged the Trump administration to take a more measured approach to expanded social media vetting for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) expressed its strong support for the US Department of State’s intention to extend online presence and social media verification to all H-1B and H-4 candidates in a letter to President Donald J. Trump.
On December 15, the new policy went into force. It is “a crucial step in enhancing national security through thorough reviews of applicants’ digital footprints to identify potential risks,” according to FIIDS.
FIIDS warned that the new regulations have resulted in “widespread cancellations and rescheduling of visa appointments—pushing many from December 2025 into March 2026 or later,” which has caused “significant disruptions for essential workers and US industry.”
According to the organization, thousands of H-1B holders are currently stuck overseas following holiday trips or visa renewals because of consular cancellations; Indian citizens are disproportionately affected.
Indian experts make up “70–75% of approvals,” according to FIIDS’s letter, making them especially susceptible to the unexpected appointment backlog.
Major tech companies have already started to experience the repercussions, according to the letter.
According to FIIDS, “tech leaders, including Google, Apple, and Microsoft, have issued advisories warning employees against international travel, citing unpredictable delays that could indefinitely halt contributions to critical projects.”
With wider ramifications for US “economic competitiveness, innovation leadership, and global advantage,” the group cautioned that protracted disruptions pose a threat to continuing work in “AI, data platforms, engineering, and other high-impact fields.”
FIIDS emphasized that their concerns are focused on averting needless disruption rather than reversing enhanced examination.
It suggested that authorities give priority to pre-interview screening for candidates who already have confirmed slots, urging the government to “preserve existing scheduled appointments without blanket cancellations.”
Additionally, the organization suggested setting explicit boundaries for further processing delays.
The letter stated, “We further suggest capping any post-interview administrative processing at one month to alleviate hardships,” claiming that doing so would enable qualified professionals to return to the United States as soon as possible without jeopardizing security goals.
FIIDS presented its suggestion as aligned with the administration’s overarching policy objectives. It stated that the proposed strategy “aligns with your Administration’s goals of robust immigration enforcement alongside a strong, innovation-driven economy fueled by skilled professionals.”
US firms are able to hire foreign workers in specialized occupations through the H-1B visa program. For Indian professionals working in technology, engineering, healthcare, and research, it has long been a vital route to employment in the US.
India has become the top source nation for H-1B applicants over time, demonstrating the strength of the relationship between the United States and India in terms of innovation and highly qualified workers.
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