As the year 2025 comes to a close, a new development has been introduced by the United States regarding the screening of visa applicants by work visas. In the latest development, the scope of electronic background checks for H-1B and H-4 visas has been extended to the entire world, indicating tougher monitoring of one of the most popular employment visas.
Although the onset of this development seems to address security issues and acquisition of talent andinitial reactions have been cause for concern.
Expanded Visa Screening: What Has Changed
Beginning from December 15, the review of the online presence of all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants, irrespective of their nationalities, has started being done by the US Embassies and Consulates around the world.
According to the US Embassy in India, the process amounts to a worldwide alert. The Embassy has, however, explained the meaning of the process: Indeed, checks on the online presence of applicants have begun.
WORLDWIDE ALERT FOR H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPLICANTS
Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities… pic.twitter.com/qMrMrOvqy0
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 22, 2025
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Preventing Abuse Abroad & Ensuring National Security
The government of the USA claims that the tightened vetting procedures are meant to reduce the abuse of the H-1B visa programme while ensuring that the country remains open to highly skilled workers. The visa system, commonly used by USA based technology and healthcare companies, has been under the radar due to controversy revolving around issues of displacing workers and managing immigration.
Indian workers make up one of the biggest pools of recipients of the visa programme, making the change impactful for the India-US exchange of talent. The Indian government recognizes the USA’s position on viewing visa issues as national security issues.
Impacts for Applicants & Employers
This new policy has caused numerous delayed interviews. Thousands of visa interviews that were supposed to take place in India in mid-December have now been deferred. Visitors who had traveled back to the US to take up their jobs were left stranded as they were not able to return to their posts in the US. Lawyers say that the interviews were deferred at the time the new verification process started.
Social Media Vetting Enters Work Visa Space
Despite being a familiar process within US visa applications, social media checks have, to a large extent, remained within the purview of student and exchange visa applications. However, extending such checks to H-1B employees and their dependents would be a significant addition to the process.
It has been asserted that even if wait times increase, embassies are focusing on treating applications carefully rather than speeding up processes.
ALSO READ: ‘Biggest Visa Chaos’: Thousands of Indian H-1B Workers Stranded in India as US Cancels Interviews
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Visa policies may change without notice.
