The decision is made during a period when non-immigrant visa policies have become more stringent under the Trump administration, with the H-1B program being particularly closely monitored. In the past, the migration of global talent via H-1B, F-1, and J-1 visas was seen as a fast and easy way; now, they are facing stricter controls, longer waiting periods, and less predictability. Every single application gets the same careful treatment as before, and the timelines that once felt normal are now testing one’s patience.
The same is true for students and skilled workers, the message is loud and clear: paperwork alone is no longer enough. In the new world of visas, deeper scrutiny and higher expectations have quietly become the new normal.
Endless Waits, Rising Frustration For Indian H-1B Applicants
Hundreds of Indian H-1B workers, who went back to India in December to get their work permits renewed, are now stuck in a long and tiring process of waiting. The US consulate offices suddenly cancelled their scheduled appointments and pushed the new dates several months later, thus leaving their careers, salaries, and family plans in a state of uncertainty.
For a large number of applicants, this situation means being stuck without any specific time frame in sight on an already lengthy waiting list that keeps growing. With each passing week, the vetting process continues to become more difficult, leading to increasing frustration. What used to be a simple renewal is now a daily fight, with nervous visa holders growing madder and madder over the uncertainty, their lives on hold, and a system that seems to become more challenging to navigate every day.
Why The US Is Scrutinising Social Media As Part Of Visa Security Checks
The re-scheduling of visa appointments is also associated with the new visa-vetting policy of the United States, which is more focused on examining applicants’ social media and online activity. The government claims that this move will bolster national security, as it is aimed at detecting possible threats at an early stage. Online presence checks provide an additional level of caution, according to officials, as digital footprints can reveal behaviour, affiliations, and intentions. With global security concerns taking on new dimensions, visa screening procedures no longer rely on documents alone; what applicants post, like, and interact with online is now being evaluated as well.
(With Inputs)
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