Law firms for Google and Apple have issued a caution to employees who need a visa stamp to re-enter the United States, advising them to steer clear of international travel due to longer-than-usual visa processing delays, according to Business Insider.
The publication states it has seen memos from BAL Immigration Law, which represents Google, and Fragomen, which represents Apple.
“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 from Fragomen reportedly stated.
A spokesperson from the State Department informed BI that embassies are currently focusing on thoroughly vetting each visa case as their top priority.
Salon also reported that “hundreds” of Indian professionals who went home in December to renew their U.S. work visas have faced canceled or rescheduled appointments at U.S. embassies, triggered by new requirements for social media vetting.
TechCrunch has reached out to both Google and Apple for their comments. Both companies, along with other major tech employers, had issued similar warnings in September after the White House revealed new requirements that would impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications.
