WASHINGTON: The United States has tightened scrutiny of non-immigrant visa holders, triggering delays in visa interviews, restricting where applicants can seek visa stamping and expanding social media vetting — developments that an immigration expert warns could disrupt travel and employment for thousands of foreign professionals, a large number of whom are from India.
According to prominent US immigration attorney Aparna Dave, the changes have already begun affecting visa applicants across categories, including H-1B, F-1 and J-1 visas, with US consulates postponing scheduled interviews as they conduct more extensive background checks.
“My recommendation is if you really don’t have to travel, if there is no emergency, it’s best to stay put in the United States, ” Dave told IANS in an interview, warning that international travel now carries heightened risk even for those with valid visas.
Dave said the new rules have effectively ended the long-standing practice of applying for US visa stamps in third countries.
“The rule has come into effect that you either go to get a visa in the country of your residency… or you have to go to your country of citizenship, ” she said, noting that applicants who previously relied on appointments in Canada or Mexico may now face serious difficulties.
She also highlighted expanded scrutiny of visa applicants’ online presence. “What the government has said is that they have the right to check people’s social media, ” Dave said, adding that applicants may be required to make their accounts public. “Everybody’s social media is going to be checked.”
As a result, she said, visa processing timelines have already been disrupted. “A lot of interviews, which were already scheduled in December and January, have all been postponed, ” she said, explaining that consulates now require additional time “to vet all the applicants.”
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