H‑1B stamping disruptions in India

For Indian professionals on H-1B visas, the riskiest part of an overseas trip is now getting back into the United States. Random appointment openings at U.S. consulates in India have left many workers waiting for a passport stamp they need to re-enter. (visaverge.com) The key distinction is between status and travel. A worker with an approved Form I-797 can keep working in the United States during that approval period, but needs a valid visa stamp in the passport to return after international travel. (travel.state.gov) (visaverge.com) The current squeeze in India traces back to December 2025, when U.S. posts there rescheduled many H-1B and H-4 interviews set for on or after December 15, pushing some cases to March 2026 or later. The U.S. Embassy in India told applicants who got rescheduling emails that showing up on the old date would mean denial of entry to the consular section. (indianexpress.com 1) (indianexpress.com 2) The State Department also tightened screening rules. On September 18, 2025, it said interview-waiver applicants must apply in their country of nationality or usual residence and warned that consular officers can still require in-person interviews for any reason. (travel.state.gov) On December 3, 2025, the State Department announced expanded vetting for H-1B and H-4 applicants, including instructions to make social media profiles “public.” The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India now carry the same notice on their visa page. (travel.state.gov) (usembassy.gov) That combination has turned appointment scarcity into a travel problem for workers already employed in the United States. Immigration lawyer Emily Neumann told multiple outlets that people currently in the United States should not leave solely to chase a stamping appointment in India, while those already in India should keep trying to book whatever opens. (visaverge.com) (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Reports in late March said some April and May 2026 slots had started appearing, but only sporadically. The Times of India reported that applicants saw openings after more than 100 days with no fresh H-1B slots, and that biometrics appointments were still being released slowly. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) The official U.S. guidance offers little certainty on timing. The State Department says appointment wait times are only estimates that can change week to week, and the embassy in India says applicants must schedule through the visa portal and that fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. (travel.state.gov) (usembassy.gov) For workers weighing a wedding, funeral, or family visit, the practical question is no longer whether the H-1B petition is approved. It is whether a consular slot, biometrics appointment, and visa issuance line up in time for them to come back. (visaverge.com) (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)