H-1B and H-4 visa holders have been facing increasing difficulties over the past few months as the United States continues to tighten immigration norms. The Trump administration has reportedly introduced a new rule requiring applicants seeking fresh H-1B visas to pay a fee of $100,000. In addition, stricter restrictions are being imposed on existing H-1B visa holders as well. Recently, social media vetting for H-1B and H-4 visa applicants was initiated from December 15.
Ahead of this, visa interviews were halted from December 9, and all interviews scheduled after December 15 were postponed. This has left thousands of applicants stranded in their home countries, with many, particularly from India, facing uncertainty. The large-scale postponement of interviews has triggered protests outside visa application centers.
Prudential Visa Revocations Raise Concerns
Adding to the crisis, US immigration authorities have begun implementing “prudential visa revocations.” Under this process, visas are temporarily cancelled if the government suspects any issue related to a visa holder’s lawful status. While such revocations do not affect an individual’s legal stay in the US, they can lead to heightened scrutiny during future visa applications. Visa holders whose visas are revoked under this mechanism are allowed to remain in the US until their authorized stay expires.
However, if they leave the country, re-entry will not be permitted even if the visa validity period remains. During the period of temporary revocation, the visa stamp is considered invalid. Reports suggest that a significant number of visas have already been cancelled under this process, with many affected individuals learning about the revocations through official email notifications.