US firms scramble to bring back Indian pros

New Delhi: US companies are exploring ways to get back their employees who are stuck in India amid delays in visa stamping after the Trump administration began strictly scrutinising social media activities of applicants.Many of them have approached immigration consultants to try and arrange for early interview slots where stamping is needed, while some have allowed employees to work out of India until they get their passports stamped again, said experts. Employees who still have time for renewals are being asked to return immediately.Even if the stamp in the passport has expired, H-1B visa holders can still live and work in the US if they have valid immigration status and I-94 record of arrival; but to re-enter the country after the expiry of the visa, they must get the passport stamped again at a US embassy or consulate. Indian professionals, most of whom are in the US on H-1B visas, and their dependents often combine their holidays in December with getting the visa renewed and making a trip back home.126097154Since the US has started strictly enforcing social media reviews of applicants starting December 15, many visa interviews have been pushed to next year, between March and June. This delay is causing disruption across workforce planning, project delivery and client commitments for many companies, especially in the technology sector, said experts.Employers Advise against Trips“US employers are exploring possibilities of earlier appointments or giving them (employees) the option of remote working,” said Rajneesh Pathak, founder and chief executive of investment advisory firm Global North. Pathak said his firm has been approached by some companies to help employees stuck in India.An immigration attorney said one of his clients, an Indian H-1B holder with a valid visa stamp until December 18, 2025, and an approved extension through 2027, flew back to the US within two days of arriving in India. “This was after he realised that his visa-stamping appointment was abruptly rescheduled to June 2026 and his employer advised an immediate return,” the attorney said. 126097168“Employers are asking employees to urgently re-enter the US before their current visas expire, while others whose visas have already expired are unfortunately stranded abroad,” said Sukanya Raman, country head at immigration firm Davies & Associates. For those working Indians still in the US, their firms are strictly advising to avoid traveling to India for now, Raman said.“There is significant stress for H-1B visa holders as careers are placed on hold, families are separated, and financial planning is disrupted,” said Raman. Immigration experts are also reporting a sharp rise in inquiries on EB5 investor visas amid the growing uncertainty around the H-1B programme.Additional questioningPeople on immigration visas are also facing inspection and additional questioning on entry to the US, said experts.Most impacted are Indian students (F-1 visa holders), especially first timers and those going for STEM courses. Indian professionals on H-1B and L-1 visas and those travelling frequently on B-1 and B-2 visitor visas also now face increased scrutiny, they said.“Most of these issues are not because of wrongdoing, but because of careless, inconsistent, or misunderstood online activity,” said Prachi Shah, who runs an eponymous law firm in the US.