The United States has expanded its review of social media and online presence to include all H-1B specialty occupation workers and their H-4 dependents, the US Embassy in India announced on December 10. On Monday, the embassy clarified in a brief statement that the Department of State’s online presence review applies to all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening procedures.
Additionally, the embassy encouraged applicants to apply as early as possible and advised them to anticipate an extended processing time for their visa applications.
In a post on the social media platform X, the embassy issued a “WORLDWIDE ALERT FOR H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPLICANTS.”
“Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities for H1-B and H-4 visas,” it added.
Explaining the objective behind the move, the embassy elaborated, “It is an effort to address abuse of the H-1B program while still permitting companies to hire the best of the best temporary foreign workers.”
“U.S. embassies and consulates continue to accept and process H-1B and H-4 nonimmigrant visa applications,” it said.
“We encourage applicants to apply as early as they can and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications,” the post concluded.
US H1-B Visa
ANI reported that according to an April 2025 report from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), India accounts for 71 per cent of visa holders.
In July, the State Department announced that H-1B holders and their dependents on H4 visas would not be able to renew their documents in a third country as of September 2.
Donald Trump-Administration Hikes H1-B Visa Fees
This comes after the proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump on September 19, ordering a USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applications.
According to the US State Department, current visa holders and petitions submitted before that date remain unaffected. Under the proclamation, a USD 100,000 fee must accompany every new H-1B visa petition filed after the deadline, including those submitted for entry into the 2026 lottery.
Notably, the new fee requirement applies only to individuals or companies filing new H-1B petitions or entering the H-1B lottery after September 21.
Indians H1-B Visa Holders Stranded
Indian H-1B visa holders who travelled back this month to renew their American work permits are stranded amid their appointments being abruptly rescheduled by US consular offices, the Washington Post reported, citing three immigration lawyers.
The Indian high-skilled workers had appointments cancelled between December 15 and 26, the lawyers said, a period coinciding with the US holiday season. In emails viewed by The Washington Post, the State Department told visa holders their interviews were being delayed after the implementation of the Trump administration’s new social media vetting policy.
