Major tech giants Google and Apple have reportedly advised their visa-holding employees to postpone international travel due to significantly extended U.S. visa processing times. Law firms representing both companies have issued warnings, highlighting the risk of unpredictable and prolonged delays for employees seeking to re-enter the United States after traveling abroad.
According to Business Insider, which viewed internal memos, BAL Immigration Law (representing Google) and Fragomen (representing Apple) have communicated these advisories. The urgency of the warning stems from recent updates in immigration procedures that have led to unprecedented backlogs.
“Given the recent updates and the possibility of unpredictable, extended delays when returning to the U.S., we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now,” one memo from Fragomen reportedly stated.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department informed Business Insider that embassies are now prioritizing "thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else." This increased scrutiny is a primary factor contributing to the current delays in visa processing.
The impact of these new requirements is already being felt. Salon reports that hundreds of Indian professionals who traveled home in December to renew their U.S. work visas, particularly H-1B visas, have faced cancellations or rescheduling of their U.S. embassy appointments. This disruption is largely attributed to new social media vetting requirements, leaving many workers in limbo.
This isn't the first time tech companies have issued such warnings. In September, Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft had previously advised their H-1B employees to remain in the U.S. following the White House's announcement of a proposed $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications. TechCrunch has reached out to Google and Apple for comment on the latest advisories.
