Google and Apple warn visa workers against overseas travel amid US immigration crackdown

Google and Apple advised US-based employees on work visas not to travel internationally after their outside counsel warned of delays of up to 12 months at US embassies and consulates worldwide amid the immigration crackdown, documents reviewed by Business Insider show.

On Thursday, BAL Immigration Law, which represents Google, sent a memo stating, “Please be aware that some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays, currently reported as up to 12 months.”

It added that employees would “risk an extended stay outside the US” if they travelled without a valid stamp.

Last week Fragomen, acting for Apple, issued a similar warning. “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. “If travel cannot be postponed, employees should connect with Apple Immigration and Fragomen in advance to discuss the risks.”

American consulates and embassies around the world have reported routine visa appointment delays since the introduction of a new social media screening requirement, which applies to H-1B visa workers and their dependents, as well as students and exchange visitors. A Department of State spokesperson told Business Insider on Friday that it was conducting “online presence reviews for applicants.”

The spokesperson said appointments may be moved as resources change, and applicants can request expedited slots on a case-by-case basis. “While in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritizing thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else,” the spokesperson added.

Immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC reported that appointments in Ireland and Vietnam had also been postponed. Google’s memo noted that H-1B, H-4, F, J and M visa stamping was affected.

Neither company’s advisory addressed how individuals already abroad with postponed appointments should proceed. A Google spokesperson declined to comment. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

A Department of State spokesperson emphasised that consular officers “do not issue a visa unless the applicant can credibly demonstrate they meet all requirements under US law — including that they intend to engage only in activities consistent with the terms of their visa.”

The H-1B programme, capped at 85,000 new visas a year, serves as a key pipeline for employers hiring skilled foreign workers.

Under the Trump administration the programme became a political flashpoint, with critics and some employers arguing that new policies—including a INR 8.3 million fee on new H-1B visas (approx)—have made it harder and more expensive to hire overseas talent.

During the 2024 govt fiscal year Alphabet, Google’s parent company, applied for 5,537 H-1B visas, while Apple applied for 3,880, according to Business Insider’s analysis of Department of Labor and US Citizenship and Immigration Services data.

Source: Times of India

- Agencies