If you're working for Google (GOOGL) or Apple (AAPL) on a visa, here's some unwelcome news: the company lawyers are basically telling you not to leave the United States unless you're prepared to stay away for a very long time.
According to Business Insider, immigration law firms representing both tech giants have sent internal memos warning certain employees who need visa stamps to re-enter the country that they could face nearly year-long delays getting back in. It's the kind of travel advisory that makes planning a vacation home feel like rolling the dice with your entire career.
When a Trip Home Becomes an Extended Sabbatical
BAL Immigration Law, which advises Google (GOOG), put it plainly in a memo to employees: "Please be aware that some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays, currently reported as up to 12 months." The firm warned that international travel could "risk an extended stay outside the U.S."
Fragomen, representing Apple, issued similar guidance to visa holders. "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," their memo stated.
Think about that for a moment. We're talking about skilled workers who might need to skip weddings, family emergencies, or any international business trip because there's a real chance they won't make it back to their desk for months.
Why Everything Suddenly Slowed Down
The culprit? Expanded social media and online presence screening for H-1B workers, their dependents, and students. The State Department has made it clear that thorough vetting now takes priority over processing speed.
"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," a State Department spokesperson explained. They added that expedited appointments might be granted on a case-by-case basis, but that's hardly reassuring when you're trying to plan your life.
Immigration attorney Jason Finkelman summed up the new reality bluntly: "If travel isn't essential right now, better to stay put."
Broader Immigration Policy Shifts
The visa processing delays come amid wider immigration policy changes. Last Friday, the Trump administration suspended the U.S. Green Card lottery program following the Brown University and MIT shootings, citing security concerns.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the program had allowed the suspect, Claudio Neves Valente, to enter the U.S. Valente, a Portuguese national, had initially arrived on a student visa in 2000 and later obtained permanent residency through the lottery system. The program typically issues up to 50,000 visas annually to applicants from countries with low rates of U.S. immigration.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court agreed earlier this month to review Trump's order restricting birthright citizenship, which a lower court had blocked for violating the 14th Amendment.
For tech companies competing globally for talent, these delays represent more than an inconvenience. When your workforce can't travel freely without risking their ability to return and work, it changes the entire calculus of international hiring and operations.