Hundreds of Indian H-1B visa holders stay stranded in India amid extended delays in US visa stamping, whilst the difficulty attracts sharp political commentary in the United States.
Nalin Haley, son of former US ambassador to the UN and Republican chief Nikki Haley, has weighed in on the controversy, calling for a whole ban on the H-1B visa programme. In a publish on X, he wrote, “Delaying visas is sweet however not ok. We want a whole H-1B visa ban.”
Haley additionally mocked critics of the visa delays, claiming they argue that “Indians can’t be ‘stranded’ in India.” He additional alleged that the Indian authorities raised the difficulty with Washington primarily as a result of “they need their remittance cash.”
The remarks come as tons of of Indian professionals face uncertainty after travelling to India for visa stamping and discovering their appointments postponed by a number of months. Many had returned after the US administration made it necessary for H-1B holders to finish visa stamping in their nation of origin earlier than re-entering the US.
According to experiences, a number of candidates who had secured stamping appointments for January had been knowledgeable that their slots had been pushed to 2026, starting March–April. Without a recent visa stamp, these employees are barred from returning to the US, leaving them unable to renew their jobs. There can be confusion over whether or not employers will allow them to work remotely from India throughout the prolonged wait.
In some instances, Indian nationals holding beforehand legitimate H-1B visas stated they travelled residence for holidays solely to find that their visas had been revoked. Officials reportedly knowledgeable them that re-entry into the US wouldn’t be allowed with out acquiring a brand new stamp, doubtlessly forcing them to stay in India for at the very least six months.
Delays have been additional compounded since December 15, when H-1B and H-4 (dependent) candidates turned topic to social media vetting as a part of enhanced scrutiny measures.
Meanwhile, calls for a whole overhaul of the H-1B system have grown louder amongst MAGA-aligned activists. The administration has proposed changing the prevailing random lottery system with a wage-based choice mannequin, underneath which higher-paid candidates would obtain precedence.
In the previous, Haley has tied his opposition to the H-1B programme to considerations about younger Americans being priced out of jobs and housing. Speaking on Fox News earlier, he stated current graduates are struggling to search out employment and are competing with “international employees who’re keen to work half their wage and AI,” arguing that the American dream is changing into more and more out of attain for youthful generations.
