US Embassy in India issues fresh advisory for visa applicants over ‘appointment date’

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

Why are appointments being changed?

The advisory comes amid a wave of visa-appointment postponements, especially for applicants under H-1B, H-4 and other categories,  triggered by changes in the US visa screening process.

According to reports, the US government has recently expanded social-media vetting and added new security protocols, compelling consular offices in India to reshuffle their interview schedules. This has led to a backlog and forced many interviews, originally slated for December 2025, to be deferred to early 2026.

What applicants should know

Visa seekers are advised to:

• Check their emails carefully for any rescheduled appointment notification.
• Avoid visiting consulates on old dates, as entry will be refused.
• Prepare to attend only on the new date specified in the email or confirmation slip.
• The embassy said it remains committed to assisting applicants on their new appointment dates and urged patience and vigilance as the schedule adjustments take effect.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump this week annoucned that the  ‘gold card’ visa programme has gone live on the website  offering legal status and a path to US citizenship for individuals paying $1 million.