What Donald Trump’s proposed travel ban means for Indians on H-1B, F-1 visas: Things they should not miss

The US government is considering implementing new travel restrictions that could affect citizens from up to 43 countries. This proposal is part of an intensified effort to enhance national security through stricter vetting processes. The countries under consideration have been categorized into three groups based on the severity of the proposed restrictions. First, full visa suspensions could be applied to 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea, where all visa issues might be suspended. Second, five countries, including Haiti and Myanmar, may face partial restrictions on visa issuances. Third, the remaining 26 countries, including Belarus and Pakistan, have been given 60 days to improve their security protocols, failing which they could face partial visa restrictions.

The US government’s proposed travel ban list has raised concerns among visa holders and Green Card applicants. Even though India is not on the list, immigration lawyers are advising H-1B workers, F-1 international students, and even Green Card holders to avoid traveling outside the US due to fears of stricter visa renewal rules and increased scrutiny upon return.
One major concern is the recent change in interview waiver rules. Earlier, applicants could avoid an in-person interview if their visa had expired within 48 months.
Under the new rule, only individuals whose visas expired within the last 12 months are eligible for an interview waiver. As a result, international students on F-1 visas transitioning to an H-1B work visa must now attend an interview.
Similarly, H-1B workers needing an extension must also go through an interview if their last visa expired more than a year ago. Seattle-based immigration attorney Kripa Upadhyay warns that those needing renewals should “think twice before leaving the US right now” due to uncertainty in visa processing times.
Immigration experts are also seeing increased administrative processing, where applications are delayed for extra security checks—sometimes for no clear reason. Snehal Batra, managing attorney at NPZ Law Group, told TOI that the delays are creating major hurdles, adding, "We know of individuals stuck in administrative processing for no apparent reason other than additional scrutiny and security clearances. This should not have happened if the individual had been previously approved for a visa multiple times. I think we can expect to see 'extreme vetting' similar to the tenure of the earlier Trump administration.”
Further complicating matters, US consular officers abroad can still refuse a visa even if USCIS has approved it. If that happens, the application is sent back for re-evaluation, leaving the applicant stranded outside the US for months.
While India is not currently affected by the proposed travel ban, the increasing visa restrictions and heightened scrutiny are making travel risky for many non-immigrant visa holders and Green Card applicants.