The US has expanded its review of social media and online presence to cover all H-1B speciality occupation workers and their H-4 dependents, the US embassy in India said on December 10.
The University of Gloucestershire is looking for international student-athletes for funded study and training opportunities in the UK.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Kolkata for a four-day diplomatic tour to India, marking the first visit by a US secretary of state to the city in 14 years. His itinerary includes meetings with Indian officials, energy talks, and a Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting.
The US has replaced random H-1B selection with a wage-weighted lottery and a new $100,000 fee for applications, raising uncertainty for students and junior hires.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India for four days to strengthen bilateral relations, holding talks with Indian leaders and attending the Quad foreign ministers' meeting.
The US has postponed thousands of H-1B visa interviews in India, citing enhanced vetting measures including scrutiny of social media profiles. The delays are impacting applicants who were scheduled for interviews from December 15 onwards, with new dates being pushed back by several months.
Bengaluru police have seized drugs worth over 36 crore and arrested 16 people, including four foreign nationals, in recent operations, according to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara.
India's $280-billion IT industry heads into 2026, balancing visa-related headwinds and global trade uncertainty against its biggest-ever push into artificial intelligence and the rapid expansion of global capability centres (GCCs). Heightened scrutiny of the US H-1B visa programme - including a proposed $100,000 fee for new visas and concerns over a potential 25 per cent outsourcing tax - has complicated cross-border delivery for Indian firms, even as companies accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on onsite staffing.
'We sent just 500 people from India to the US on H-1B visas. There is no dependence on H-1B visas.'
Uncertainty clouds US fall intake as Trump's visa ban on Harvard raises fears of wider policy shifts, pushing Indian students to explore alternative destinations.
With India set to open up its border for international tourists, the government has decided on 'reciprocal treatment' to the applicants under new visa conditions. The visa facilitation will depend on the applicant's home country's policy for the Indian tourists.
Until now, one of the ways to get Dubai's Golden Visa from India was to invest in property whose value should be at least AED Two Million (Rs 4.66 crore), or invest a large amount in business in the country.
The US Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's decision to impose a USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, arguing it harms American innovation and competitiveness.
US Vice President JD Vance has stated that immigrants who become US citizens should prioritise the interests of the United States above their country of origin. He emphasised the importance of allegiance to the US for the effective functioning of the American system.
A US Homeland Security official says America will continue using the H-1B visa programme, emphasizing integrity and vetting, while highlighting increased naturalization rates under the Trump administration.
Indian IT workers accounted for nearly 90 per cent of visas issued under the intra-company transfer route
'As one of many immigrants at Nvidia, I know the opportunities we've found in America have profoundly shaped our lives.'
'You are a guest in the US. It's not your home, you're a guest. If they don't feel comfortable, you have to step out.'
'Travellers are considering safer and more stable destinations.'
Australia increased its student visa application fee from 1,600 to 2,000 Australian dollars. This is now the highest such visa fee in the world.
'Immigrants have always been America's greatest strength, building prosperity, breakthroughs, and communities that enrich us all. Instead of embracing that strength, Trump is clamping down on every form of immigration, tearing families apart, destabilising businesses, and weakening our economy'
Longtime diplomatic observers feel that if Narendra Modi were to become prime minister or even a Cabinet official if the BJP captures power in the next election, there is no way the State Department would refuse him entry into the US, unless Washington wanted to risk the unravelling of the carefully nurtured US-India strategic partnership. Rediff.com's Aziz Haniffa reports from Washington, DC.
Mastercard and Visa are introducing passkeys that will allow users to authenticate card payments with face scans or fingerprints, eliminating the need for one-time passwords (OTPs).
Iranian news agencies have denied reports of Iranian officials travelling to Pakistan for negotiations with the United States, even as Pakistan prepares for potential talks and faces criticism from Israel.
'What we want students to understand when they're applying for that visa is that we want to see a use of that visa that is in line with their application.'
Indian-American executive Srini Gopalan has been appointed chief executive officer of telecom operator T-Mobile, amid ongoing debates over H-1B visa policies. Gopalan's appointment, effective from November 1, 2025, comes as US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a staggering $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, triggering widespread panic, concern and fear among Indian professionals on work visa.
Trump to sign order creating Olympics task force ahead of 2028 games
The Trump administration has announced a massive increase in H-1B visa fees, imposing a $100,000 annual charge that will fundamentally alter how American companies hire skilled foreign workers, particularly impacting Indian IT professionals who comprise the largest group of beneficiaries.
Australia's new student visa rules focuses on stricter eligibility, higher financial and English language requirements among others.
Foreign tourist arrivals in India dropped to 6.18 million during the April-September 2025 period against 7.06 million during the same period last year, which was a drop of 12.4 per cent.
To 'protect national interest', US now require all F, M, and Jvisa applicants (students/exchange visitors) to make socialmedia profiles public for nationalsecurity vetting.
Immigration attorneys and companies are advising H-1B visa holders to return to the US immediately due to concerns over President Trump's plan to impose a USD 100,000 fee on the work visas.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in a 'H-1B FAQ' document, released on Sunday, said that the September 19 proclamation took an "important, initial, and incremental step" to reform the H-1B visa programme to curb abuses and protect American workers.
'Returning Indians can leverage their international skills and the strong funding environment for start-ups here.'
'Most of them (H-1Bs) are from one country, India, there's a cottage industry about how all those people make money off this system.'
There has never been a moment in India's history when it has been so adrift in the world, so confused about what it stands for and against and so humiliated, asserts Aakar Patel.
Trump's proposed policy limits undergraduates from any one country to 5% at select top US universities, raising concerns for Indian aspirants eyeing elite colleges.
Ritika Gupta, a study abroad expert and founder of Aaera Consultants, explains how Germany's new visa rules will affect international students and working professionals.
The United States Embassy in India on Monday said starting December 15, the United States has 'expanded' online presence reviews to all H-1B and H-4 applicants as part of standard visa screening, and this vetting is being conducted globally for 'all applicants of all nationalities' for these two visa categories.
Last week, education ministers of four Indian States -- Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir -- visited several US cities to have a first hand experience of the community colleges in Washington.
