US President Donald Trump’s hardline anti-immigrant policies and actions have always drawn significant attention but the latest one has left several Indian H1-B applicants with sleepless nights as their interviews have been delayed and jobs hanging in balance. After announcing a massive H1-B visa fee hike of $100,000 in September, the Trump administration went ahead with a new social media vetting process this month, sending shockwaves across India. Here’s the whole story.
The US Department of State has expanded the mandatory online presence review for all H1-B applicants and their dependents during consular processing. Under this, applicants have been asked to change their social media profiles to ‘public’. Starting December 15, US Consular Officers have been asked to review the resume and social media profiles of applicants and their family members, who would travel with them, to investigate whether they have worked in areas such as misinformation, disinformation, fact checking and online safety. If any evidence is found that the applicant was responsible for censorship then the person is ineligible under the US Immigration and Nationality Act.
An immediate impact was seen in the pre-scheduled visa interviews as several applicants saw a last minute rescheduling by three to five months. With interviews getting delayed, several applicants had to immediately put their travel plans on hold.
Why such scrutiny?
As per the US administration, the move is linked to a national security decision. The order stated that the US must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the country do not intend to harm America or its national interest.
H1-B visa, a temporary work permit for skilled foreign professionals, is reserved for those with specialised knowledge, skills in technology, medicine and AI being in huge demand. This visa is valid for three years after which it expires and the person needs to come to his home country for renewal and attend interviews at US missions.
For years, this visa has been an American dream gateway for skilled young Indians. Now, the high $100,000 fee announced by the US administration in September will create an additional burden on companies, which now pay only $2000 to $5000.
