HomeNext Who is Navdeep Sharma?

H-1B techie stranded in India for 18 months faces big blow in US court An Indian tech expert's lawsuit to expedite his H-1B visa was dismissed by a US court, which deemed the delay not legally unreasonable.

Published on: Jul 13, 2026, 23:12:59 IST By Shweta Kukreti Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link An Indian technology expert has faced a setback in a US court after being stranded in India for almost 18 months due to a delay in his H-1B visa application.

After nearly 18 months stranded in India due to H-1B visa delays, Navdeep Sharma's lawsuit was dismissed by a US court, which stated the processing time wasn't unreasonable. (X/@USAndIndia) Navdeep Sharma, who is employed by Tata Consultancy Services, initiated a lawsuit to request court assistance in expediting the processing of his visa.

However, the US district court dismissed his case, determining that the delay was not legally unreasonable.

Navdeep Sharma's case: Here's what Court documents have disclosed Court documents reveal that Sharma has been residing in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife and their two children, who are citizens of the United States.

He has been working for TCS in the US since 2021.

In December 2023, TCS submitted a petition to extend his H-1B status until March 2027.

This petition received approval from US Citizenship and Immigration Services in early 2024, and Sharma proceeded to submit his DS-160 visa application in November of that year.

After the interview, his application was denied under Section 221(g), and he was instructed to undergo a medical examination.

He completed the required examination; however, a few months later, the US Consulate requested that he undergo an additional medical test.

In July 2025, the online status of his visa application momentarily changed to “approved.” However, when Sharma visited the consulate to retrieve his passport, he was presented with another refusal notice under Section 221(g).

Navdeep Sharma's social media accounts review A week later, the consulate requested that he provide information regarding all of his social media accounts.

Sharma complied with this request, yet no conclusive decision was made thereafter.

Unable to go back to the United States, Sharma found himself apart from his wife and children.

He also informed the court that his extended stay in India jeopardized his employment.

Navdeep Sharma's laqsuit against US officials In September 2025, he initiated a lawsuit against multiple US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, officials from the State Department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the US Attorney General, and the Director of the FBI.

Sharma pursued relief under the Administrative Procedure Act and sought a writ of mandamus to compel officials to finalize the visa process.

Case dismissed However, US District Judge Timothy J Kelly dismissed the case on July 10, 2026.

The court determined that Sharma lacked legal standing to bring a lawsuit against certain officials mentioned in the case.

Additionally, it concluded that the other claims did not demonstrate an unreasonable delay that warranted judicial intervention.

The judge recognized the emotional and financial difficulties stemming from Sharma's extended separation from his family.

But the court said that compelling officials to prioritize his case might result in him being placed ahead of other applicants who are experiencing similar delays.

The court remarked that delays in visa processing are frequently due to the workload of the agency and decisions regarding resource allocation, areas in which courts typically hesitate to intervene.

Additionally, it pointed out that Sharma's waiting time was less than the delays that other visa applicants had unsuccessfully contested in the same court.

While the judge conveyed sympathy for Sharma's circumstances, he stated that the mere fact of family separation was insufficient justification to expedite his application over others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shweta Kukreti Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics.

She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk.

She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events.

Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives.

She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics.

In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team.

She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World.

Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work.

Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC).

She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi.

If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh.

She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family.