Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi(left) President Trump (right) – Via AP

India’s government is protesting new U.S. visa restrictions after the Trump administration moved to tighten screening at American embassies, slowing approvals for Indian migrant workers and extensions.

New Delhi confirmed it has raised concerns with U.S. officials in both India and Washington, arguing that delays are leaving Indian nationals stranded at home.

“While we do understand that visa-related issues pertain to the Sovereign Domain of any country, we have flagged those issues and our concerns of our nationals to the U.S. side, both in New Delhi and in Washington D.C.,” an Indian government spokesman said.

The spokesman claimed visa backlogs have disrupted families and schooling.

“There are several people who have been stranded in India for an extended period of time,” he complained.

”These [delays] have also caused hardship to their families and also to the education of their children,” he said.

The complaints follow Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s decision to curb widespread abuse of U.S. visa programs.

Under the new policy, embassies are no longer fast-tracking approvals and extensions, forcing applicants to wait months before returning to U.S. jobs.

WORLDWIDE ALERT FOR H-1B AND H-4 VISA APPLICANTS

Beginning December 15, the Department of State expanded online presence reviews to ALL H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening. This vetting is being conducted globally for ALL applicants of ALL nationalities… pic.twitter.com/qMrMrOvqy0

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 22, 2025

India’s objections are part of a broader effort to preserve visa pipelines that send large numbers of Indian workers abroad, particularly to the United States.

India receives at least $40 billion annually in remittances from the U.S. alone, making overseas labor a major pillar of its economy.

BREAKING: India is reporting DELAYS of H-1B visas to the US, with Indians being “stranded” in their home country

“Several have been stranded in India for some time due to their H1B visa appointment delays!”

GOOD! Hire an American. No delays there. pic.twitter.com/qXmtAgVBVc

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 26, 2025

Roughly one million Indian graduates currently work in U.S. white-collar jobs through programs such as H-1B, L-1, OPT, and CPT, often as subcontractors.

The system typically benefits Indian elites and corporate employers while sidelining American graduates.

The State Department has offered limited public details on the changes but emphasized stricter vetting in a December 17 statement.

“Under the Trump Administration, the Department of State is using all available tools to rigorously screen every visa applicant,” the department said.

“They do not issue a visa unless the applicant can credibly demonstrate they meet all requirements under U.S. law.”

Despite ostensibly being a partner and ally of the U.S., India routinely prioritizes its own interests and maintains close ties to Vladimir Putin’s Russia and the Chinese Communist Party.

Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.

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