India has raised concerns with the United States over delays and disruptions in visa appointment scheduling that have left several Indian nationals stranded for extended periods, the Ministry of External Affairs said today, amid a broader tightening of U.S. immigration policies under the Trump administration.

At its weekly media briefing, the MEA said it had received “several representations” from Indian citizens facing difficulties in scheduling or rescheduling visa appointments, leading to prolonged stays away from home and significant personal hardship. While acknowledging that visa matters fall within the sovereign domain of individual countries, the ministry said it had taken up the issue with U.S. authorities both in New Delhi and Washington, D.C.

“We have flagged these issues, and our concerns of our nationals to the U.S. side… and we hope that these delays and these disruptions will be addressed,” the MEA said. It added that many individuals have been stranded due to consular appointment backlogs, affecting family life and, in some cases, the education of their children.

The ministry also referred to a recent communication from the U.S. government stating that, with effect from December 15, it has expanded its review processes for certain visa categories. The expanded scrutiny applies to specialty occupation and temporary visa applicants under the H-1B category, as well as dependents covered under the H-4 visa. According to the MEA, this change is being implemented globally and is not specific to India.

“On our side, the government of India remains actively engaged with the U.S. side to address and minimise the disruptions that have been caused to our nationals,” the MEA said, indicating that discussions are ongoing to ease the impact of the revised processes.

H1-B conundrum

The comments come at a time when immigration has once again become a central political issue in the United States. The Trump administration has intensified its crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration, with particular focus on work visas such as the H-1B, which are widely used by U.S. companies, especially in the technology sector, to hire skilled foreign professionals. Indian nationals account for a significant share of H-1B visa holders.

Meanwhile, speaking at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Sunday, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance sharply criticised the use of H-1B visas by American corporations. “Why have we worked without the help of Congress to restrict H1B visas, for example? Because we believe it is wrong for companies to bypass American labour just to go for cheaper options in the Third World,” Vance said.

He framed restrictions on such visas as part of a broader economic and moral argument, calling for penalties on corporations that outsource jobs overseas and arguing that government policy should reflect “the inherent dignity of human work.”