New Delhi: Thousands of Indian professionals working in the United States are facing growing uncertainty as delays in h1b visa processing continue to worsen under stricter scrutiny by US authorities. Many workers who travelled to India for routine visa renewal are now stranded for months with no clear timeline to return to their jobs.
The crisis follows tighter screening measures introduced by the US Department of State, including expanded background checks and deeper review of applicants social media activity. These steps have slowed visa interviews and processing across US consulates in India especially in Hyderabad and Chennai.
According to recent updates appointments that were earlier scheduled for late 2025 have been cancelled or pushed to mid or even late 2026. Some applicants report waiting periods of up to one year. The delays are affecting not only h1b workers but also their family members holding h4 dependent visas.
Many professionals fear they may lose their jobs if they remain outside the US for too long. Employers usually allow only limited remote work from abroad and extended absence can lead to contract termination or project reassignment. Families are also under stress as children schooling housing and healthcare plans are disrupted.
Large technology companies have begun responding to the situation. Firms such as Google and Apple have reportedly advised some visa holding employees not to travel outside the US unless absolutely necessary warning that re entry delays could stretch for several months.
Indian IT companies with major US operations are also concerned. Rising visa fees combined with unpredictable processing timelines are making workforce planning difficult. Industry experts say this could impact project delivery and increase costs for both Indian and American firms.
US officials have acknowledged the delays stating that the longer wait times are a result of more rigorous security checks rather than staffing shortages. While authorities maintain that the measures are necessary for national security affected workers say the lack of clarity and communication has deepened anxiety.
For now many Indian professionals remain in limbo waiting for interview slots to reopen and hoping for faster processing. Until then uncertainty continues to hang over jobs families and careers built over years of work in the United States.