H-1B Visa Holders Stuck in India With No Return ETA

H-1B Visa Holders Stuck in India With No Return ETA

As thousands of H-1B visa holders are stranded in India with no available appointment dates until 2026, immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi has raised concerns about their uncertain return to the US. The situation has left families separated and added significant stress for those affected.

A Hyderabad woman, identified as JK, shared her personal story of being unable to renew her visa due to delays caused by social media vetting. Despite having her visa stamped multiple times in India and not anticipating issues when the US State Department announced social media screening, she found herself without any available appointments.

JK, who has spent over a decade in the US, was last seen by her husband and two children before traveling to India in November for a family emergency. Her company allowed her to work from India using San Jose time, which is 12.5 hours behind Indian local time. She sought assistance from Congressman Jimmy Panetta, whose office contacted the US consulate in Hyderabad but were unable to expedite her visa stamping without an appointment.

With social media vetting rescheduling all visa appointments and pushing the renewal dates to March, April 2026, thousands of H-1B visa holders are believed to be affected. However, no agency has been tracking the exact number of individuals stranded in India.