US Embassy In India Issues Advisory On Appointment Date For Visa Applicants

The US Embassy in India on Tuesday warned visa applicants that anyone arriving at the embassy or consulate on a previously scheduled interview date — after having been notified of a reschedule — will be denied admittance.

In a post on X, the Embassy said: “If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date. Arriving on your previously scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied admittance to the Embassy or Consulate.”

ATTENTION VISA APPLICANTS – If you have received an email advising that your visa appointment has been rescheduled, Mission India looks forward to assisting you on your new appointment date. Arriving on your previously

scheduled appointment date will result in your being denied…

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 9, 2025

Visa interview slots are known to be in heavy demand, and applicants often face long waits.

According to Mint, the window for securing the next available F, M and J visa appointments in New Delhi has shortened dramatically — falling from roughly two months to just about half a month.

Significant fluctuations were reported in Chennai. Previously, average waiting period for a B-1/B-2 visa interview was close to five months, the latest update lists the category as “N/A”.

Mumbai continues to experience some of the longest delays as both the average and next available appointments for B-1/B-2 visas stand at 9.5 months, while student and exchange categories are being scheduled in about three months, Mint reported.

The US has tightened visa rules, which has also triggered a steep drop in international student enrolment for the 2025 fall semester.

Overall foreign spending in the US, which includes not just student expenses but also travel, medical, and other outlays by foreigners, sank 7.6%, a decline of about $16.6 billion from the previous year.

Tightening its measures for the vetting process for H-1B visa applicants and their H-4 dependents, the US government has introduced mandatory social media screening for all applicants starting December 15.

As per the new order, the applicants have to change their social media profiles to a “public” setting to aid in the screening process.

The US state department said, “To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public’.”

The US State Department also emphasised that the US visa is “a privilege and not a right”. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” it added, stating that officers rely on all available information to determine admissibility and potential risks.

The department reiterated that the US “must be vigilant” to ensure applicants do not intend to harm Americans. The decision has raised concerns among Indian professionals, who form one of the largest groups of H-1B visa holders.