US consulates in India cancel H-1B visa appointments

H-1B workers stuck in India as consulates abruptly cancel US visa renewal appointments

A sudden wave of cancellations leaves skilled workers scrambling

Thousands of H-1B professionals visiting family in India are confronting a painful reality: their long-scheduled U.S. visa renewal appointments have been canceled without warning. In recent days, workers across technology, healthcare, finance, and research say they’ve received abrupt notices that their “dropbox” and in-person interviews at U.S. consulates were canceled and pushed to much later dates—or simply voided with instructions to reschedule. The fallout has been immediate. Flights are on hold, employers are reassigning projects, and families are grappling with the uncertainty of when, or if, they’ll be able to return to the United States to resume their lives.

For H-1B holders—many of whom have lived in the U.S. for years—visa renewal isn’t just a formality. It is a lifeline to continued employment and stability. When appointments disappear, so does the possibility of boarding a plane back to work, to a lease, and to a normal routine.

What’s happening at U.S. consulates in India

Reports from across India indicate a pattern: U.S. embassies and consulates—particularly in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata—have canceled scheduled appointments, including interview-waiver (“dropbox”) submissions. The cancellations often arrive via email or the applicant portal with a short notice that the appointment is canceled due to “operational reasons,” alongside instructions to check for new availability. In some cases, applicants are being auto-rescheduled weeks or months later. In others, they’re instructed to manually rebook, competing for a limited pool of new slots.

While consular operations routinely shift due to staffing, security, and local conditions, the volume and timing of recent changes have caught many off guard. Peak travel season, school holidays, and a surge of post-pandemic demand have converged, creating a fragile system where even small operational adjustments ripple widely.

Why these cancellations matter so much

For many, this is a high-stakes bureaucratic snag, not just an inconvenience. Here’s why:

• Visa versus status: An H-1B worker may have a valid approval notice (I-797) and work authorization in the U.S., but to re-enter after international travel, they still need a valid visa stamp in their passport. Without it, they cannot board a flight back to the U.S.
• Automatic visa revalidation doesn’t apply: The limited automatic revalidation option applies only to brief travel to contiguous territories like Canada or Mexico. Trips to India require a valid visa for return.
• Dependents are affected too: H-4 spouses and children often renew alongside the primary H-1B holder. If one person’s appointment is canceled or delayed, the entire family’s return may be thrown off.
• Employment continuity is at stake: Some employers can accommodate remote work from India temporarily, but many roles require in-person presence due to security, client, or regulatory constraints.

In short, these cancellations can abruptly place families and careers in limbo, even when every other document is in order.

How the disruption cascades through families and workplaces

Behind the logistics are human stories. Workers who traveled to India for weddings, elder care, or long-delayed family reunions suddenly face weeks of uncertainty. Plane tickets go unused, U.S. apartments sit empty, and children miss school and routines. Employers, especially those on tight project timelines, are rearranging teams and escalating contingency plans. Some are paying out of pocket to support extended stays abroad. Others are pausing offers or delaying promotions because a key employee is stranded.

For early-career professionals on H-1B status, the anxiety can be acute. A delay in returning to the U.S. can mean missing onboarding windows, client kickoffs, or critical performance cycles. For long-term residents navigating green card backlogs, the cancellations feel like yet another reminder that stability can evaporate quickly.

Where cancellations are most visible

The heaviest appointment churn is being reported at high-volume posts in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad—cities that typically handle large numbers of H-1B renewals, including interview-waiver submissions. Applicants say both “dropbox” and in-person interviews are being canceled, sometimes with multiple rebookings. Some are seeing openings reappear in the early mornings or late nights as the scheduling system refreshes. Others report that auto-rescheduled dates land months out, creating a difficult choice between waiting or trying their luck at another city.

There are also accounts of more cases landing in administrative processing (often called 221(g)) after document submission. While administrative processing is not new and doesn’t signal a denial on its own, it can extend timelines substantially, adding to uncertainty.

Background: why the system is strained

Several dynamics are converging to create a fragile visa pipeline:

• Post-pandemic demand: Many travelers deferred trips during the pandemic. As travel rebounded, consular sections faced surging demand for all visa categories. Even with expanded capacity, backlogs can reappear quickly.
• Complex cases and security checks: Highly skilled fields sometimes trigger additional scrutiny. Extra checks can slow throughput and pile up casework.
• Operational variability: Consular operations can shift for reasons ranging from staffing to local conditions and system updates. Even small capacity drops can create large scheduling waves.
• Limited alternatives: While the U.S. launched a domestic H-1B visa renewal pilot with limited eligibility, most workers still need to travel abroad for stamping if their visa has expired.

Put simply, the pipeline was already tight. A new round of cancellations, even if temporary, strains a system where appointment supply rarely matches demand.

What H-1B workers in India can do right now

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but a combination of vigilance, documentation, and employer support can make a difference.

• Monitor the appointment portal frequently: New slots sometimes appear during off-peak hours or after batch cancellations. Refreshing the portal at different times can help catch openings.
• Consider alternate cities: If your original consulate’s calendar is saturated, explore availability at other posts in India. The tradeoff is travel logistics and potential processing nuances.
• Prepare for an emergency or expedite request: If your situation meets criteria for urgent processing (for example, documented, time-sensitive business needs or critical personal emergencies), gather a concise employer letter, project timelines, and supporting documentation. Be specific about the consequences of delay.
• Have every document ready: Even for “dropbox,” ensure you have a complete package—DS-160 confirmation, appointment letter, current and prior passports, I-797 approval notices, recent employment verification, pay stubs, W-2s, and client letters if applicable. A clean file can reduce back-and-forth and the risk of 221(g).
• Plan for administrative processing: If your case is placed in 221(g), respond quickly and precisely. Build buffer time into travel plans to accommodate potential delays.
• Coordinate with your employer’s immigration team: Ask for a fresh employment letter describing your role, specialized skills, work location, and the impact of your absence. Some employers can also provide additional documentation outlining project-critical timelines.
• Review remote work and tax implications: If you’re working from India while you wait, confirm payroll, benefits, and tax considerations. Extended work from abroad can trigger compliance requirements.
• Avoid risky third-country workarounds: Booking an appointment in another country might seem faster, but many posts limit appointments for third-country nationals and can refuse complex cases. Weigh the risks carefully.
• Keep your contact info current: Update your email and phone number in the portal to catch last-minute changes or earlier reschedules.

Guidance for employers

Employers can mitigate disruption with proactive planning and clear support to affected staff:

• Map critical roles and travel windows: If a project has non-negotiable onsite deadlines, avoid scheduling international travel around key phases when possible.
• Issue strong support letters: Provide detailed employment verification and, when justified, a short business case for urgency. Clarity and brevity help.
• Enable compliant remote work: Offer temporary remote arrangements consistent with security, client, and export control requirements. Coordinate with HR and payroll to avoid compliance pitfalls.
• Set realistic timelines: Build buffer time into return-to-work plans. Treat visa trips as unpredictable projects rather than routine errands.
• Communicate with clients: Proactive updates can preserve trust when timelines slip due to factors outside the team’s control.

Frequently asked concerns

As cancellations ripple through schedules, a few practical questions keep coming up.

• Will my MRV fee still be valid? Fee validity and transfer rules depend on current consular policy. Check the appointment portal for the most accurate status tied to your profile.
• Can I switch from dropbox to an in-person interview? Eligibility is determined by criteria at the time of scheduling. If your dropbox appointment is canceled, you may be able to select an in-person slot if available, but policies can differ by post.
• Is administrative processing a denial? No. It’s a further review. It can take days to weeks, occasionally longer. Provide requested documents quickly and avoid duplicative submissions.
• Can I enter the U.S. with an expired visa if my I-797 is valid? Not from India. You need a valid visa stamp to board and re-enter after travel abroad.
• Should I fly to another country for faster stamping? Some applicants try this, but availability for third-country nationals is limited, and refusal or 221(g) abroad can be riskier. Proceed only after careful assessment.

The bigger picture: fragile progress and hopes for stability

There are signs of long-term relief. Efforts to streamline processing, expand capacity, and pilot domestic renewals for certain H-1B workers point in a positive direction. Yet these changes unfold gradually, and demand continues to outpace predictability. The present wave of cancellations underscores how sensitive the system remains to operational shifts.

For now, the practical path forward is preparation and patience—assembling meticulous documentation, staying nimble with scheduling, keeping employers closely looped in, and building contingency time. While that may feel unsatisfying in the face of disrupted lives, it can be the difference between weeks and months of delay.

Conclusion: plan proactively, prepare thoroughly, and keep options open

The sudden cancellation of U.S. visa renewal appointments in India has left many H-1B professionals and their families in limbo. It’s a stark reminder that even seasoned travelers with spotless histories can get caught in consular turbulence. In the short term, the safest strategy is to control what you can: documentation, communication, and flexibility. In the medium term, employers and workers alike can build travel plans that assume volatility rather than smooth sailing. And in the long term, expanded renewal options and more resilient consular operations offer hope that trips home won’t jeopardize jobs or stability.

Until then, vigilance on the appointment portal, a well-prepared file, and close coordination with employers remain the best tools for navigating a system stretched thin. For the thousands currently waiting in India, the goal is clear: turn a canceled appointment into an approved visa—and a return to life, work, and normalcy in the United States.