Google, Apple warn employees on H-1B visas not to leave US as embassy delays could last for months
Google and Apple have issued warnings to H-1B visa holders against international travel due to long embassy delays. Increasing visa processing times threaten work continuity and can cause significant disruption to foreign professionals.
According to Business Insider, Google and Apple have issued warnings to employees on H-1B visas due to unusually long visa processing delays at embassies and consulates, and advised them not to leave the United States. According to the report, immigration law firms representing both companies have circulated internal memos cautioning employees about the current situation. People who need a visa stamp to re-enter the US after international travel are being urged to stay put, as the backlog of appointments has stretched to several months.
“Please be aware that some US embassies and consulates are experiencing significant delays in visa stamping appointments, currently reported to be up to 12 months,” BAL Immigration Law, representing Google, said in its memo. The firm further warned that traveling abroad at this time could “risk a prolonged stay outside the US”, as employees may not be able to secure a visa stamping appointment in time to return to work.
Similarly, Fragomen, the law firm representing Apple, issued a comparable advisory. “Given the recent updates and the possibility of unexpected, extended delays upon returning to the U.S., we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now,” its memo said.
Both companies have seen an increase in travel disruptions among employees holding H-1B visas, especially over the past few months as visa processing timelines have lengthened.
The latest advice marks a continuation of travel guidance issued earlier this year. In September, Google, Apple and several other major tech employers expressed similar concerns when the White House announced that companies would have to pay a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications.
New screening measures behind long delays
The current delays come amid expanded social media and online presence screening for H-1B workers, their dependents and students. According to Business Insider, the extra scrutiny has significantly slowed down the visa renewal process around the world.
A spokesperson for the US State Department told the publication that embassies and consulates are now prioritizing thorough investigations at a time of rapid turnaround. “While in the past the emphasis may have been on speedy disposal of cases and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates across the world, including India, are now prioritizing thorough scrutiny of each visa case,” the spokesperson said.
He said expedited appointments may be granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on the urgency and circumstances of each application.
Reports suggest that the new screening procedures have disrupted the plans of hundreds of foreign professionals. According to Salon, many Indian citizens who went home in December to renew their US work visas have had their embassy appointments canceled or postponed due to the new testing requirements.
Employees face uncertainty
The extended delays have put many visa holders in a difficult position, especially those who had planned foreign travel or family visits at the end of the year. Without a valid visa stamp, workers cannot re-enter the United States, and it can take months to rebook appointments due to the backlog.
Immigration attorney Jason Finkelman said recent policy changes have changed the risk calculus for many foreign professionals. “If travel is not essential right now, it is best to wait,” he told Business Insider.
The H-1B visa program allows American companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers, particularly in the technology sector. Major companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon rely heavily on this talent pool, which includes thousands of engineers, data scientists and software developers.
As the visa process continues to slow down, many companies are now taking precautionary measures to prevent disruptions. Some are encouraging workers to delay non-essential travel until appointment availability improves, while others are offering guidance on emergency visa processes.
For now, both Google and Apple are monitoring the situation closely, as the extended delays at the embassy could continue until 2025. Until then, his message to workers on work visas is clear: avoid international travel unless absolutely necessary.
