US government shutdown hits H-1B visa, green card processing; Here’s how it impacts Indians and their travel process

The US government has shut down after President Doland Trump and Congress failed to agree on a funding deal by Wednesday’s deadline. Because of this, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are on forced leave, and many government offices are closed. The shutdown has also hit H-1B visas. According to immigration lawyer Nicole Gunara, no new H-1B applications will be processed until Congress passes a funding bill.

As per NDTV, she explained that the H-1B process begins with a company filing a Labour Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor (DOL). After the LCA is approved, the company then files a petition with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since USCIS runs on filing fees, its work is not directly affected. But the Department of Labor depends on Congress for money, so its immigration work has now stopped.

“What this means is simple,” Gunara said. “No one can get a new H-1B, switch to a new employer, or change their status to H-1B unless they already got their LCA approved and saved before today. If not, they’ll have to wait until the government reopens for their process to continue.”

Sophie Alcorn, an immigration lawyer based in Silicon Valley, said the India(BHARAT)n community will feel the sharpest impact from the shutdown, especially because so many of them apply for H-1B visas and employment-based green cards.

She explained that cases already being processed may continue without much trouble, but new applications are the ones most affected. “The shutdown creates a mixed situation, ongoing cases are mostly safe, but new filings are stuck. For the India(BHARAT)n diaspora, the biggest immediate problem comes from the Department of Labor,” Alcorn said.

The H-1B visa program, heavily used by US tech companies to hire talent from India(BHARAT) and China, is facing major changes. Last month, President Doland Trump introduced a huge fee hike, raising the annual cost from USD 215 to USD 100,000 for applicants.

On top of that, the Trump administration has proposed scrapping the current lottery system. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security wants visas to be given based on wage levels, with preference going to workers in the highest pay brackets out of four categories.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in India(BHARAT) said on X (formerly Twitter): “For now, passport and visa services in the US and at embassies and consulates abroad will continue during the shutdown, as long as conditions allow.”

During a government shutdown, federal agencies are not allowed to spend money unless it’s for emergency purposes. As a result, many nonessential services have been paused until Congress approves new funding.