H-1B visa applicants asked to reschedule appointments as social media vetting policy begins from December 15

The US State Department’s new social media vetting policy has triggered widespread disruption for H-1B visa applicants in India, with many reporting the cancellation of previously scheduled visa appointments.

The affected interviews are those scheduled on or after 15 December, and applicants are being instructed to reschedule their visa interviews.

According to multiple reports, the cancellations are linked to the rollout of the new policy, which requires consular officers to review applicants’ online presence, including their social media activity.

This additional requirement has reduced the number of appointments available, causing significant inconvenience for applicants who had planned their travel and visa processing months in advance.

US business immigration attorney James Hollis voiced his frustration on LinkedIn, criticising both the timing and the impact of the policy change, which coincides with the holiday period when many Indian nationals return home to complete visa formalities.

“I’m shaking my head about the reports coming out about H-1B visa appointment cancellations in India. The reports are that there have been a significant number of appointments cancelled, and applicants have been directed to reschedule the visa interview aspect of the appointment, with ASC appointments initially remaining the same. The affected appointments are on or after 15 December 2025, and applicants who are impacted are receiving emails from the post indicating that they should reschedule,” Hollis wrote.

He added, “The reasoning for the cancellations is that the new social media vetting policy requires implementation time and review time for the posts, and the posts have had to reduce their available appointments to accommodate the change.”



Anshuman Jha, an AI consultant, also highlighted the implications of the policy shift for H-1B applicants. Writing on LinkedIn, he said, “H-1B visa applicants face new social media screening. A major shift for global talent mobility: starting 15 December, all H-1B and H-4 applicants must make their social media accounts public for review.”



The change highlights the increasing importance of managing one’s digital footprint, particularly for Indian applicants, who comprise the majority of H-1B visa recipients.

Pamela Rangel, a business immigration attorney, similarly noted that the State Department is expanding social media vetting to H-1B applicants from mid-December, adding further complexity to an already unpredictable visa stamping process.

The US State Department has recently confirmed that all H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents will be subject to social media screening as of 15 December. Applicants will be required to switch their social media accounts to “public” settings to allow scrutiny.

Under the updated rules, applicants must also disclose usernames or IDs used on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and others, even if those accounts have not been active in the past five years.

The department reiterated that “every visa adjudication is a national security decision” and stressed that a US visa is “a privilege, not a right”.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also announced changes to Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs), reducing their validity from five years to 18 months for certain categories.

This change will take effect on 5 December 2025 and will apply to groups including refugees and individuals with pending applications for adjustment of status under Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.