At present, the Christmas holidays of working Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) whose H-1B visas have expired and who have returned to India for renewal are experiencing extreme stress. Due to several unexpected policies of US President Donald Trump, the H-1B visa has come under much stricter scrutiny.
As a result, visa renewal interview dates scheduled for December have been postponed indefinitely. US consulates have issued advisories to Indians awaiting visa renewals, advising them not to crowd the consulates.
Many Indians working in the US usually travel to their homeland during Christmas to celebrate the holidays with their families. A large number of these NRIs are employed in the information technology sector. Companies such as Google and Microsoft have even advised their employees not to leave the United States.
In September, the Trump administration decided to increase the H-1B visa renewal fee drastically”from $2,000“$5,000 to as high as $100,000. Along with this steep hike, new rules were introduced requiring scrutiny of applicants’ social media activity during the renewal process. The risk of visa rejection due to critical or controversial social media posts had already emerged a few months ago.
There is also fear of families being separated”husbands, wives, and children. If they are unable to return to the US, they could lose their jobs. This fear is haunting NRIs. As a result, Indians living in the US remain under constant stress and are hesitant to return to India.
