Visa chaos grows as early 2026 H-1B appointments shift to year-end
New Delhi: Hundreds of Indian applicants seeking H-1B and H-4 visas are dealing with fresh uncertainty after their US interview appointments were reportedly shifted to October 2026. These dates had already been pushed once to February and March 2026. According to Deccan Chronicle, several individuals also reported seeing their appointments moved to as early as October next year. The American Bazaar noted that immigration attorneys have encountered cases in which interviews set for mid-January 2026 were postponed to October 2026.
Many Indians whose interviews were rescheduled are now urging applicants with January and February 2026 slots to cancel their bookings in the hope that earlier timelines may open up for those pushed to later dates.
Over recent weeks, US consulates informed numerous applicants that interviews first scheduled for December and January were being shifted to February or March. US authorities said the delays are connected to additional processing time required for expanded social media screening.
The repeated cancellations have left many professionals, including those separated from their families, in a precarious position regarding employment. Immigration lawyers told The American Bazaar that widespread cancellations and sudden changes have increased since mid-December, with early 2026 appointments now moved to the final quarter of the year.
A spokesperson for the US Consulate General in Hyderabad told Deccan Chronicle, “The Department of State regularly shifts appointments as needed to match resource availability. We will communicate any changes directly to affected visa applicants.”
Attorney Sangeetha Mugunthan of Somireddy Law Group PLLC told The American Bazaar that legal options are limited and advised applicants to document all developments and request remote work or leave where possible.
Many individuals had already arranged travel or arrived in India for stamping before discovering their appointments were cancelled. For those outside the US, the prolonged separation from families and the lack of clear options have intensified anxiety. Online forums have seen rising concern, with users questioning the long-term viability of staying tied to the US immigration system.
Earlier F-1 visa delays affected Indian students, and planned increases in work visa fees have added further strain. With H-1B interviews now pushed into late 2026, hundreds of Indian professionals say they face serious disruptions to both careers and family life.
