- Google and Apple lawyers are warning H-1B visa holders not to leave the US just yet
- Returning to the country can result in long delays and postponed appointments
- The State Department says thorough checks take priority over speed
Google and Apple have reportedly begun warning some employees with visas not to travel outside the US because re-entry processing may take longer than expected.
The news, originally reported by Business Insidercomes from the companies’ respective law firms, BAL Immigration Law (Google) and Fragomen (Apple).
Workers who need a new H-1B visa stamp are encouraged not to travel abroad due to unpredictable extended delays that may pose a risk of being stranded overseas. The H-1B visa allows US employers to hire skilled foreign professionals for up to three years or six years with an extension.
H-1B visa workers in the US have asked not to leave the US for now
The delays have been linked to enhanced visa checks, with Trump’s new social media screening requirements affecting H-1B workers, students and more.
“Given the recent updates and the possibility of unpredictable, extended delays upon returning to the United States, we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now,” Fragomen’s memo to Apple employees reads.
Hundreds of Indian professionals who traveled home to renew visas in December are believed to have had appointments canceled or rescheduled, with some US embassies facing appointment delays of up to 12 months.
“While the emphasis may have previously been on processing cases quickly and reducing waiting times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, now prioritize a thorough examination of each visa case above all else,” a State Department spokesman said. Business Insider.
The news comes months after the White House announced a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications with an annual cap of 85,000 (generating up to $8.5 billion for the US). By 2024, Google and Microsoft both accounted for 5,500-5,700 each, with Apple coming in with only 3,900 applications, according to the report.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
