According to a Business Insider article, Google has advised certain employees with US visas not to travel overseas after discovering that visa re-entry procedures at US embassies and consulates are experiencing "significant" delays that can last up to a year.
Google's external counsel, BAL Immigration Law, warned employees who require visa stamping in order to return to the US that traveling abroad might leave them trapped for months in an internal advice that Business Insider reviewed.
Due to exceptionally lengthy appointment backlogs at diplomatic missions, the email, which was delivered on Thursday, advised impacted employees to refrain from traveling abroad.
According to Business Insider, the memo stated, "Please be aware that some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays, currently reported as up to 12 months." Employees who travel abroad may "risk an extended stay outside the US," according to the warning.
As US missions struggle with regular visa backlogs following the implementation of stricter social media screening procedures, the delays are being observed in a number of nations.
According to Business Insider, these checks are applicable to students and exchange travelers with F, J, and M visas as well as H-1B employees and their family.
The disruption is impacting several visa categories, including H-1B, H-4, F, J, and M visas, according to Google's attorneys. For employees who are already outside the United States and are experiencing delayed appointments, the advice did not specify what to do next. According to Business Insider, a Google representative declined to comment.
The US Department of State told Business Insider on Friday that it is carrying out "online presence reviews for applicants," acknowledging the delays.
Applicants may seek faster processing on a case-by-case basis, according to a spokesman, and appointments may be changed as resources change.
"Our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else, whereas in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times," the official stated.
Reddy Neumann Brown PC, an immigration consultancy, has also reported delayed appointments in nations including Vietnam and Ireland.
While most foreign people with valid visa stamps should normally be able to return to the US, additional scrutiny has made even routine travel riskier, immigration lawyer Jason Finkelman told Business Insider. "I advise clients to stay put if travel isn't necessary right now," he stated.
Major US tech companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta continue to rely heavily on the H-1B program, which is limited to 85,000 new visas per year.
The visa has become a political hot potato under the Trump administration, with detractors claiming that increased expenses and stricter regulations are making it more difficult for companies to acquire qualified foreign workers.
