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Interviews are still happening — but not all appointments are safe
H1B visa interviews are actively being conducted by the US embassy in India. Every week, interviews are going ahead — but these are specifically for appointments that were either never rescheduled, or were secured through the emergency appointment option. If your appointment is intact, that is genuinely good news.
What the January reschedules actually mean
The most recent wave of reschedules happened around January 24th and 25th. These affected interviews that had been scheduled for February. However — and this is important — not all February appointments were rescheduled. Many people still have their February dates intact. The reschedules only targeted fresh appointments. If your appointment came through the emergency appointment route, it was not touched.
One more thing worth noting: the majority of these reschedules were concentrated at the Chennai consulate specifically.
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Book a Mock InterviewThe DS-160 reschedule myth — here is the truth
There is a lot of misinformation circulating right now claiming that reschedules are linked to whether you have filled out or submitted your DS-160 form. This is not accurate. The DS-160 and appointment scheduling are completely separate processes. In fact, many applicants who had fully completed their DS-160 — including declaring their social media — still had their appointments rescheduled. Do not let this myth distract you from what actually matters.
No new slots are being released right now
As of now, the US embassy is not releasing any new H1B or H4 appointment slots. This applies to both visa categories. The only realistic path to getting an appointment at this point is through the emergency appointment option. If you need help understanding exactly how the emergency appointment process works — including drafting and reviewing your writeup — reach out to me directly and I can help you with that.
Should you wait for 2027 slots? Here is my honest take
There has been no official confirmation from the US embassy or the US government that new slots will only be released in 2027. That is speculation, not fact. My recommendation right now is a wait-and-watch approach — keep tracking developments regularly and follow whatever guidelines your employer is giving you. I am actively monitoring the situation and will share updates as soon as anything new comes through. You can also join my H1B WhatsApp community to stay current in real time.
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