Across the global technology sector, the world’s most influential corporations are rushing to contain an escalating crisis that is profoundly affecting thousands of employees who rely on temporary work visas. Companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow are confronting widespread disruption due to newly imposed U.S. government requirements demanding detailed reviews of visa applicants’ social media activity, a measure that has unexpectedly slowed operations at American embassies and consulates across the globe. These developments have forced corporations to issue official advisories and internal memoranda, urgently cautioning their foreign employees against traveling internationally. The cause of concern is not hypothetical: the once predictable scheduling of visa appointments has unraveled, with delays now stretching to nearly a year at certain consular posts.
Recent communications distributed by these companies’ internal immigration departments, as well as by external law firms that represent them, convey a portrait of deepening uncertainty and anxiety among international workers who represent an essential segment of the technology labor force. Many of these highly skilled professionals—holding H‑1B and dependent H‑4 visas—support critical innovation and programming functions across the U.S. tech ecosystem. Yet in recent weeks, routine visa renewal procedures have become fraught with unpredictability. According to these advisories, U.S. consulates have postponed or rescheduled numerous interviews, sometimes with little to no notice, leaving employees stranded abroad for indefinite periods and unable to resume work on American soil.
For holders of H‑1B visas—the primary legal framework that enables global experts to contribute their advanced skills to American technology firms—the situation has turned especially precarious. If such employees leave the U.S. after their visa stamps expire, they must obtain a new stamp before re‑entry. Under ordinary circumstances, this process might take a few weeks. Now, however, with appointment slots being deferred many months into the future—some reports indicate dates extending into mid‑2026—a customary visit to one’s home country has evolved into a potential career‑threatening hiatus that could last nearly a year.
Responding to escalating tension, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State confirmed to Business Insider that consular officials are currently performing more comprehensive ‘online presence reviews’ for visa applicants. This process includes examining publicly available social media content, presumably as part of strengthened national security and identity verification measures. The agency emphasized that embassy resources and appointment allocations are subject to ongoing evaluation and reallocation, noting that applicants may apply for expedited interview slots if extraordinary circumstances justify priority handling. The Department made clear, however, that the foremost goal is no longer speed or volume of case processing, but rather meticulous scrutiny of each applicant’s background. It acknowledges that this shift has resulted in postponed appointments in several countries, including India, Ireland, and Vietnam, as law firms such as Reddy Neumann Brown PC have documented.
Business Insider’s investigation obtained copies of internal memos distributed by these firms, offering an intimate glimpse into how corporate America is adapting to the sudden deceleration of visa processing. Google declined to provide public comment, while Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow refrained from responding to inquiries.
Microsoft’s internal communication, drafted by Jack Chen, Associate General Counsel for Immigration, outlines the rescheduling of H‑1B and H‑4 visa appointments at several prominent U.S. consulates, notably in Chennai and Hyderabad. Employees have been informed that new appointment dates could be postponed to as late as June 2026. The memo attributes these disruptions to operational constraints tied to the newly instituted online presence review requirement that took effect December 15, significantly reducing daily processing capacity. While current evidence primarily implicates H‑1B and H‑4 visas, other categories such as F (student), J (exchange visitor), and M (vocational) may experience secondary consequences as resources are diverted.
Chen’s guidance to Microsoft employees stresses that emergency appointments will be rare and that those contemplating foreign travel should reconsider, as even routine trips might now inadvertently trap them abroad. For employees already outside the United States whose visa appointments were delayed, Microsoft has committed to contacting them individually and collecting data through an internal survey to better monitor patterns of rescheduling, geographic hotspots of delay, and possible ripple effects across different visa types.
Meanwhile, Google’s immigration counsel at Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP advised visa holders that scheduling delays may reach up to twelve months, emphasizing that “enhanced screening” for several major visa categories is prolonging visa issuance. The firm unequivocally recommended that employees avoid international travel unless absolutely necessary, warning that leaving the U.S. could result in extended separation from their teams and projects.
Apple’s internal immigration team echoed similar concerns. Its note to employees underscored that given the unpredictability of consular backlogs, any international travel undertaken without a current, valid H‑1B visa stamp involves substantial risk. The company urged employees to postpone all nonessential travel and, if travel could not be avoided, to consult with Apple’s immigration support team and its external counsel Fragomen to evaluate the potential consequences carefully.
ServiceNow, a major IT automation company, offered a comparable update through its Global Mobility division. The firm explained that under a new State Department protocol, U.S. consulates have begun re‑evaluating appointments specifically for H‑1B and H‑4 applicants by examining each candidate’s digital footprint, including active social media accounts. The directive primarily impacts applicants with consular interviews scheduled on or after December 15, 2025, particularly those intending to secure visa stamps in India, though the policy could expand to additional locations or visa types in the near future. According to the advisory, some affected applicants have already received rescheduling notices assigning new interview dates well into November 2026.
Employees currently stationed abroad are encouraged to contact their managers if the consular delays jeopardize business operations or revenue, as exceptions to ServiceNow’s thirty‑day Work‑from‑Anywhere limit may be granted for urgent cases such as medical emergencies or material financial impact. The memo also notes that employees whose consular appointments have been delayed but who still hold valid visa stamps are advised to return to the United States before those stamps expire. Where eligible, the company encourages employees to submit requests for expedited consular appointments if their circumstances qualify, citing grounds such as a family death, medical urgency, or potential loss of significant company revenue.
ServiceNow further recommends that employees planning trips to India requiring visa stamping reconsider or cancel those journeys altogether to prevent extended disruptions. Any worker with pending questions about scheduling changes or travel plans is directed to contact immigration counsel through Fragomen Connect or reach out directly to the Global Mobility team.
Altogether, these advisories reveal an industry unified in apprehension. The delicate rhythm of global talent mobility—a foundation of the modern technology enterprise—has been abruptly slowed by a policy change that entwines digital identity vetting with immigration oversight. While companies scramble to shield their workforce from prolonged displacement, employees must now navigate a world where even a simple vacation home could lead to months of involuntary exile from their roles in the U.S. As embassies across continents implement stronger vetting standards, the uncertainty surrounding visa renewals may continue to challenge both corporate logistics and the personal lives of the international professionals who sustain America’s technological leadership.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/google-microsoft-apple-h1b-visa-delay-warnings-memos-2025-12
