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Google and Apple have advised some employees who rely on US work visas not to travel internationally, citing lengthy delays at embassies and consulates that could leave workers stranded outside the country.
According to copies of internal memos reviewed by Business Insider, outside immigration counsel for both companies warned staff who require visa stamps to re-enter the US that processing times have increased sharply.
BAL Immigration Law, which represents Google, told employees in a memo sent Thursday that some US embassies and consulates are experiencing visa stamping appointment delays of up to 12 months. The firm said employees who leave the US without a valid visa stamp risk an extended stay abroad.
Embassy delays disrupt employee mobility
“Please be aware that some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays,” the Google memo said, recommending affected staff avoid international travel.
Apple employees received similar guidance from immigration law firm Fragomen. In a memo sent last week, the firm advised employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp to postpone travel where possible.
“Given the recent updates and the possibility of unpredictable, extended delays when returning to the US, we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now,” the memo said.
Employees who must travel were told to consult Apple Immigration and Fragomen in advance.
The delays follow the introduction of expanded social media screening requirements for visa applicants. The checks apply to H-1B workers and their dependents, as well as students and exchange visitors.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the Department of State said it is conducting “online presence reviews for applicants” and may reschedule appointments as resources shift. Applicants can request expedited processing on a case-by-case basis, the spokesperson said.
Enhanced vetting raises HR risks
The State Department claims that embassies are prioritizing thorough vetting over speed. “Our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritizing thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else,” the spokesperson said.
Immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC said appointments have also been postponed in Ireland and Vietnam.
Google’s counsel said delays are affecting H-1B, H-4, F, J, and M visas. Neither company specified what steps employees already outside the US with postponed appointments should take.
Jason Finkelman, an immigration attorney specializing in employment visas, said foreign nationals with valid visa stamps should generally be able to re-enter the US, provided they are not subject to entry restrictions such as the expanded travel ban set to take effect January 1.
Problems arise when workers leave the US to obtain a new visa stamp and appointments are canceled or delayed, sometimes for months.
“My advice to clients is that if travel isn’t essential right now, better to stay put,” Finkelman said.
The H-1B program, capped at 85,000 new visas annually, remains a key talent pipeline for US employers. During fiscal year 2024, Alphabet applied for 5,537 H-1B visas, while Apple applied for 3,880, according to publicly available data analyzed by Business Insider.
A Google spokesperson declined to comment. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
