he US Embassy in India has announced that its embassy in New Delhi and consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru will remain closed from Wednesday, December 24, to Friday, December 26.
The shutdown follows a Presidential Executive Order issued by former US President Donald Trump, which mandates the closure of federal executive departments and agencies on these dates. While December 25 (Christmas Day) is a regular US federal holiday, the order grants additional holidays on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, resulting in a five-day holiday stretch for federal employees.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the US Embassy confirmed that routine consular services, including visa processing and citizen services, will not be available during this period.
H-1B visa renewals to face further delays
The temporary closure is expected to worsen delays in H-1B visa renewals, affecting hundreds of Indian professionals currently in India awaiting visa stamping. The disruption comes at a time when visa processing timelines are already stretched due to policy changes under the Trump administration that have tightened scrutiny of the H-1B programme.
Several Indian H-1B holders who travelled to India for renewals have reportedly been left stranded after consular appointments were abruptly cancelled. In many cases, new appointment dates have been pushed to March–June 2026, with some applicants receiving dates as late as 2027, according to earlier reports.
India continues to be the largest beneficiary of the H-1B programme, accounting for around 71% of all H-1B visa holders, as per data released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in April 2025.
When will services resume?
The US Embassy and consulates in India are expected to resume normal operations on Monday, December 29, 2025. Applicants have been advised to regularly check their registered email IDs and the official embassy website for updates on rescheduled appointments.
US citizens requiring urgent assistance during the closure period can continue to access emergency services through the embassy’s designated emergency contact numbers.
