South Africa tour of India 2019
H-1B Visa Applicants See Approvals After Rigorous Social Media Vetting
A growing number of H-1B visa applicants are receiving approvals following strict social media vetting by US consulates in Hyderabad and Chennai, offering relief to Indian IT professionals stranded due to appointment rescheduling issues. Applicants report that consular officials are now demanding detailed disclosure of all public social media accounts before clearing visas.
According to multiple applicants, interviews now include requests to submit social media handles via email, even after routine questioning about employment, job roles, and Labour Condition Applications. In several cases, applications were temporarily marked “refused” under Section 221(g) for administrative processing before being approved within days.
One applicant who appeared for an interview in Chennai on December 22 shared on Facebook that after submitting additional social media details not listed in the DS-160 form, the visa status changed from “refused” to “approved” and then “issued” within 24 hours. Similar experiences were reported by applicants in Hyderabad, including H-1B and H-4 visa holders.
A Reddit user described being asked only one question about sponsorship before being handed a 221(g) slip for social media vetting. After emailing links and screenshots of public profiles, the visa was approved the next day, with passports retained by the consulate throughout the process.
Another applicant noted that visa officers also asked about social media accounts created for children, advising parents to disclose and clarify account ownership.
While the process has added anxiety due to temporary refusal statuses, applicants say approvals are coming through swiftly once vetting is complete. The development suggests enhanced scrutiny but also signals progress for those awaiting long-delayed visa decisions.
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