Key takeaways
- Advise H-1B workers against international travel due to visa re-entry delays.
- Expect delays of up to 12 months for visa stamping appointments at US embassies.
- Recognize that expanded social media screening is causing appointment backlogs.
- Coordinate with managers if visa delays exceed remote work limits.
- Report status if stranded outside the US due to rescheduled visa appointments.
Major US technology companies, including Google, Apple, and Microsoft, have advised some employees on work visas not to travel outside the United States, citing unusually long delays in visa re-entry processing, Business Insider reported.
According to the report, immigration law firms representing Google, Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow warned employees who need visa stamping for US re-entry that embassy appointment delays could stretch up to 12 months. Employees were told that international travel could result in being stranded outside the US for extended periods.
A memo from BAL Immigration Law, which represents Google, said some US embassies and consulates are facing “significant visa stamping appointment delays,” and recommended that affected employees avoid travel to reduce the risk of prolonged stays abroad.
Google’s legal counsel said the disruptions are impacting several visa categories, including H-1B, H-4, F, J and M visas.
Apple’s immigration counsel, Fragomen, issued similar guidance, advising employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp to postpone travel where possible.
Microsoft asked employees stuck outside the US due to rescheduled appointments to report their status internally, while also urging those still in the country to reconsider international travel plans.
ServiceNow, meanwhile, told affected staff to coordinate with managers if they exceed the company’s standard work-from-anywhere limits because of visa delays, the report noted.
The delays are linked to expanded social-media screening requirements introduced as part of US visa processing, which apply to H-1B workers, their dependents, and certain student and exchange visitor categories, the report said.
The US Department of State confirmed to Business Insider that it is conducting enhanced “online presence reviews” for applicants, which has contributed to appointment backlogs at embassies in multiple countries, including India.
The situation highlights growing uncertainty around the H-1B visa programme, a critical channel for hiring skilled foreign workers in the US tech sector.
