- Lawyers for Google and Apple warn H-1B visa holders not to leave the United States at this time
- Returning home could result in long delays and postponed appointments
- State Department says thorough vetting takes priority over speed
Google and Apple have reportedly started warning some employees on visas not to travel outside the United States because the re-entry process could take longer than expected.
The news, initially reported by Business Insidercomes from the companies’ respective law firms, BAL Immigration Law (Google) and Fragomen (Apple).
Employees who require a new H-1B visa are advised not to travel abroad due to unpredictable and prolonged delays which could pose the risk of being stranded abroad. The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to hire qualified foreign professionals for up to three years, or six years with extensions.
In the United States, workers on H-1B visas should not leave the United States at this time
The delays are linked to enhanced visa screening, with Trump’s new social media screening requirement affecting H-1B workers, students and more.
“Given recent updates and the possibility of unpredictable and prolonged delays when returning to the United States, we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa avoid international travel at this time,” Fragomen’s memo to Apple employees read.
Hundreds of Indian professionals who returned home to renew their visas in December have reportedly had their appointments canceled or postponed, with some US embassies facing appointment delays of up to 12 months.
“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 careful review of each visa file above all else,” a State Department spokesperson 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 United States). By 2024, Google and Microsoft each accounted for between 5,500 and 5,700 apps, with Apple coming in with just under 3,900 apps, according to the report.
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