H-1B Visa Delays Push Indian Professionals to the Brink: Appointments Pushed to 2027

Thousands of Indian professionals aspiring to work in the United States now face mounting uncertainty as H-1B visa interview slots have been postponed until 2027. The Trump administration’s increasingly stringent visa rules, coupled with steep fee hikes, have created a crisis for applicants, affecting both careers and personal lives.

According to Financial Express, major U.S. embassies in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata no longer have regular interview slots available. Many applicants have been left in limbo, unable to determine when they might travel to the United States. The disruption began in December 2025, when H-1B interviews originally scheduled for March 2026 were rescheduled. What was initially portrayed as a temporary adjustment has now escalated, with recent notifications pushing appointments into April-May 2027.

Why Interviews Are Being Delayed

The delays are widely attributed to recent changes in the H-1B system. On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new rules for Fiscal Year 2027, maintaining the annual cap of 85,000 H-1B visas but significantly tightening compliance requirements. Administrative changes have slowed the system dramatically, creating a backlog of applicants.

Interview appointments were first moved to March 2026, then to October 2026, and are now being postponed further into 2027. Applicants scheduled for January and February 2026 have received official emails notifying them that their appointments have been rescheduled, generating widespread uncertainty over their ability to enter the U.S. in a timely manner.

Implications for Indian Professionals

The ongoing delays have sparked debate over whether the H-1B visa path for Indian professionals is effectively being blocked. Many experts argue that the United States may no longer be a reliable destination for employment or higher education, prompting Indian professionals to explore alternative countries and opportunities.

For now, the combination of stricter regulations, higher fees, and delayed appointments has created one of the largest bottlenecks in H-1B history, posing serious challenges to thousands of skilled Indian workers and the companies that depend on them.