Law firms representing two of the world’s largest technology corporations—Google and Apple—have issued formal advisories cautioning their employees who depend on visa stamps for re-entry into the United States to avoid traveling abroad in the immediate future. This unprecedented step stems from reports of significantly prolonged visa processing times at U.S. consulates and embassies worldwide, a situation that poses substantial risks of being stranded overseas. According to a detailed account published by Business Insider, this guidance reflects growing concerns among immigration counsel about delays that far exceed normal expectations, creating logistical challenges for multinational companies reliant on a globally mobile workforce.
Business Insider, after reviewing internal correspondence, confirmed that the guidance was disseminated through memos prepared by two major immigration law firms—BAL Immigration Law, which represents Google, and Fragomen, which provides legal services to Apple. These firms specialize in managing the complex immigration needs of large corporations and, in light of recent administrative developments, have urged caution among foreign national employees. In the memo reportedly circulated by Fragomen, the firm underscored that unpredictable and extended delays could occur when foreign professionals attempt to re-enter the United States after international travel. Consequently, it advised that employees currently lacking a valid H‑1B visa stamp should refrain from leaving the country, emphasizing that even short overseas trips could inadvertently result in lengthy disruptions to work and personal plans.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State reinforced this climate of caution by informing Business Insider that American embassies and consulates are presently prioritizing meticulous scrutiny of every visa application over speed of processing. This heightened emphasis on thorough vetting, while aimed at safeguarding national security, has inevitably contributed to slower adjudication timelines. For visa-dependent employees—particularly those in high-demand sectors such as technology—this policy shift represents a significant operational constraint, complicating routine travel schedules and corporate deployment strategies.
In a parallel development, Salon has reported that hundreds of Indian professionals who traveled home in December to renew their U.S. work visas encountered cancellations or rescheduling of embassy appointments. These disruptions were attributed to newly introduced requirements mandating social media background checks as part of the visa evaluation process, a change that has caused unforeseen administrative bottlenecks. The cumulative effect of these measures has been to create substantial uncertainty for the global workforce on which the American technology sector heavily relies.
When contacted for official comment, technology news outlet TechCrunch noted that both Google and Apple, along with several other major U.S. tech employers, had previously issued comparable warnings as recently as September. Those earlier memos followed the White House announcement introducing a new policy that would obligate employers to pay a $100,000 fee for each H‑1B visa application—a move that further illustrates the tightening regulatory environment surrounding skilled immigration. Altogether, the current advisories underscore the growing intersection of immigration policy, corporate mobility, and global workforce management, demonstrating how even temporary procedural shifts can ripple across industries that depend on an international flow of specialized talent.
Sourse: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/20/google-and-apple-reportedly-warn-employees-on-visas-to-avoid-international-travel/
