Immigration attorney Emily Neumann said the first thing that H-1B visa holders who are now stuck at home because all appointments have been delayed by at least six months, owing to the social media vetting, is to keep their H-1B job. The expert said that if a person loses his or her job, they will have to look for another job on an H-1B visa, which will cost the company $100,000 fee, and the companies are unlikely to shell out the fee. If the US employer does not allow work from home for six months, as many appointments in India got deferred by at least six months, the candidates can request an emergency appointment, Neumann said, adding that there is a slimmer chance for that to happen. Consulates have cancelled appointments and informed candidates that they don’t need to contact the consulates before their new dates.
“If you cannot get an emergency appointment, the number one goal is to make sure that you don’t lose the job. Because if you do ultimately lose the job, maybe you will find a new job later in June, July, then that company has to file the H-1B petition with $100,000 visa fee as you are not in the US. Now, no company is ready to do that. You are pretty much stuck,” Neumann said.
‘Trump administration is more powerful on border’
Immigration lawyer Rahul Reddy said the social media vetting is just an excuse to cut candidates off. Reddy said that if the Donald Trump administration wants to change something in non-immigrant visa programs, it will take a long time, as it has to go through Congress. But the Trump administration is more powerful at the border, and when a visa holder is outside the country, it can stop anyone from coming in, the expert said, adding that all visa-holders in the US should cancel their travel plans as now is not a good time for it. The State Department stalled all visa appointments to reduce the number of interviews daily in consular offices as social media vetting of all candidates that began from December 15 is taking a longer time now.
