Google, Apple Warn Visa Employees Against Leaving US As 'Significant" Delays Push Backlogs To Nearly 12 Months: Report
Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) are advising some visa-holding employees to avoid traveling abroad, warning that severe backlogs at U.S. embassies could prevent them from returning to the U.S. for months.
Visa Appointment Backlogs Trigger Corporate Travel Warnings
Immigration law firms representing Google and Apple sent internal advisories cautioning certain employees who need a visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. not to leave the country, citing unusually long waits for consular appointments, reported Business Insider.
"Please be aware that some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays, currently reported as up to 12 months," BAL Immigration Law, which advises Google, wrote in a memo.
The firm warned that international travel could "risk an extended stay outside the U.S."
Fragomen, a law firm representing Apple, issued a similar warning to some 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," the memo said.
Enhanced Social Media Screening Slows Visa Processing Worldwide
The delays follow the rollout of expanded social media and online presence screening for H-1B workers, their dependents, and students.
The State Department said consular officers are prioritizing thorough vetting over faster processing.
"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 said.
The spokesperson added that expedited appointments may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
Immigration attorney Jason Finkelman said the changes have altered the risk calculation for visa holders.
"If travel isn't essential right now, better to stay put," he said.
Trump Suspends Green Card Lottery Amid Birthright Citizenship Review
On Friday, the Trump administration suspended the U.S. Green Card lottery program after 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.
The lottery annually issues up to 50,000 visas to applicants from countries with low rates of U.S. immigration.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court agreed to review Trump's order restricting birthright citizenship, which a lower court had blocked for violating the 14th Amendment.
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