Hi everyone!
My husband and I have been trying to book H-1B visa stamping appointments so we can visit our families back in India, but it’s been quite a while, and we’re still struggling to find available slots.

I wanted to check if anyone has any updates on when new H-1B slots might be released. Also, for those of you who have successfully booked appointments recently, what time of the day do you usually check for slot availability? Is there a particular time when new slots tend to open up?
Any tips, recent experiences, or information about upcoming slot releases would be incredibly helpful. We’ve been trying for a while now, and being able to visit our families would mean so much to us.

Thank you so much in advance! ❤️

Based on Approved COE from 2024 (i797 valid through Nov 2027)

Slot booked : April 2026

Biometrics : 10/16/2026

Consular interview : 10/21/2026

Consulate : Hyderabad ( first time I went there, usually go to Chennai)

DS 160 : updated new ds-160 during biometrics submission to include social media profiles.

Overview and questions :

The tone and thoroughness of interviews has changed since my last one in 2022. May be anecdotal but there was an apparently higher rate of outright refusals.

Documents first requested : H1B Approval (i797), Proof of salary paid (payslips, 6 months), approved LCA

Questions asked :

Is this a first time H1B or a renewal ?

Where in the United States do you live (state, city, since when)

How long have you worked for your current employer ?

Where is your employer based ?

Do you work only for them or do you have a client ? Answered and presented client letter

What is your job title ? Have your responsibilities changed since you first started?

What part of your educational qualification applies to this position? (Answered US masters degree, explained connection)

Do you work at the client site or are you remote ? (Answered remote, stated home address)

What is your pay? ( answered in hourly pay is was in the LCA)

Are you in any danger or obligation if you continue to live in India ? (No)

Unlike per usual the officer did not state if the visa was approved, they just retained passport and handed out a 221g sheet stating refusal with instructions to submit all social media profiles by email and to keep them visible to the public until further notice.

8AM : interview slot

9AM : interview complete, exited with 221g

9:30 AM : status "refused" on CEAC portal

10:30 AM : emailed Facebook, instagram, linkedin, reddit, youtube profiles with ready clickable links to each

3 PM : status changed to Approved on CEAC portal

As on 10/28, status is yet to change to "issued"

Followed up with an email to no avail.

Anyone else with similar experience after approval ?

Hi everyone,
I attended my H-1B renewal visa interview at the U.S. Consulate in Hyderabad on Thursday, October 22, 2026. As expected, I was issued a 221(g) and asked to email my social media profile links.
I sent the requested email on the same day, October 22. However, my CEAC status is still showing “Refused,” and the “Case Last Updated” date remains October 22, with no change so far.
I have a couple of questions:
For those who received a similar 221(g) for social media links in Hyderabad, how long did it take for your status to change from “Refused” to “Approved”?
Did anyone else attend their H-1B or H-4 visa interview in Hyderabad on Thursday, October 22? If so, have you received any updates?
I would really appreciate it if you could share your timelines and experiences. Thanks in advance!

Hiii. I submitted my online application form a few weeks ago (X2 visa, submitted from Islamabad) . They asked me to amend a few things and I did. After that I haven't heard anything from them. It's been about 5 days and my application still says under review. Should I be worried? Is there anything I can do to make it faster. Can anyone share their experience with me as well. Any help will be appreciated thank you!!

Hi, I have to travel to USA in early March next year for a conference. I am confused right now, should I try to book slots for Dec, January or early February, or book later dates and then apply for emergency visa.

I have an invitatation letter from the company for their annual conference.

What's the probability of getting it accepted?

And if accepted, how many days will it take to get everything done from VAC, interview to getting passport back?

Hey,
Can anybody tell me if the last page of DS160 says Toronto and I have booked appointment for Quebec City, do I have to fill new DS160? B1/B2 category tourism purpose. I am applying from Canada
Had anybody had recent experience of Quebec City centre?

Hy everyone ,I have my F-1 student visa interview at the U.S. Consulate this Thursday, October 29, and I listed both Facebook and Instagram on my DS-160 form. I’m worried about what I should do if the consular officer checks my social media accounts and finds that they are suspended or unavailable.

On October 26, I received a notification on Facebook Messenger asking me to verify my identity before I could send messages. I completed the facial verification, but immediately afterward, my Facebook account was disabled.

I submitted a request for review through Facebook. Shortly afterward, my Instagram account was also suspended because it was linked to my disabled Facebook account.

I appealed the Instagram suspension and completed all the requested steps, including recording a video selfie and uploading my ID. I received a message saying, “We received your information. We’re reviewing it.”

I’m still waiting for the outcome of both reviews.

This situation is especially stressful because my visa interview is only a few days away, and I’m concerned about how to handle this if the consular officer asks about my social media accounts.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation, where Facebook was disabled after identity verification and the linked Instagram account was suspended afterward?

If so, how long did it take to recover your accounts? Has anyone experienced this before a visa interview? How did you handle it, and should I explain the situation to the consular officer if asked?

I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!

It has been 48 hours since the status on CEAC website showed ”issued”. I have opted for pickup from Kolkata VAC. Till now, I don’t see any updates on the usvisascheduling portal. Has anyone faced this recently?

Can anyone help me whith this doubt ??
I am applying from India and i am applying for a H-1B Visa.

I have my sister in Canada, I am not able to find any slots in India anymore not for a while at least. Can I go to Canada and get my stamping done?

My first stamping was in canada without any hassle can I do my second one as well?

I applied for a visitor US visa from Germany last year but later cancelled it before the interview date as I didn’t have some important documents with me, now I am in back in my home country India and applying again. I successfully got my country profile changed from Germany to India now and will be paying a new MRV fee, however I am not sure what to pick for Have you ever applied for US visa- Yes or No in my new DS160? Worried it might be a problem somehow.
Again, I never appeared for the visa interview and therefore never got denied. Any help is highly appreciated!

Hey guys, I have my visa interview on Thursday, and something really bad happened yesterday. My social media accounts, Instagram and Facebook, which I listed on my DS-160, were suspended. Now I don’t know what to do on the day of the interview. When they check my social media, they won’t be able to find my usernames. So, what should I do? What’s the best solution?

I am not able to see J1 visa scheduling calendar from September 2026 in any VAC in India. I am not sure everyone is facing same issue or it is with my application only.