WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI — The U.S. government shutdown, triggered after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to reach a funding deal, is now directly impacting visa processing, leaving thousands of Indian applicants uncertain about their future.
Immigration attorney Nicole Gunara explained that while the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues to operate on filing fees, the Department of Labor (DOL) — which certifies Labour Condition Applications (LCA) necessary for H-1B filings — has suspended services due to lack of congressional funding. “No one can get a new H-1B, transfer employers, or change status to H-1B unless they already had their LCA certified and downloaded before the shutdown,” Gunara said. “Those without certification must wait until the government reopens.”
The H-1B visa program, heavily relied upon by U.S. technology companies to hire skilled talent from India and China, is already under pressure after the Trump administration last month imposed a dramatic increase in application fees, raising them to $100,000 annually from $215. The administration has also announced plans to abandon the existing lottery system in favour of a wage-based selection process, which would prioritize higher-paid workers.
In a statement on X, the U.S. Embassy in India reassured applicants that “scheduled passport and visa services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits.” However, many applicants remain in limbo, particularly those awaiting new or transferred H-1B approvals.
The shutdown, which has furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal employees and shuttered multiple agencies, has stalled all nonessential government functions. For Indian professionals who form a significant share of H-1B visa holders, the disruption adds another layer of uncertainty to an already evolving immigration landscape.