Read the Memos Tech Firms Sent Visa Workers Warning Them Not to Travel

The world’s largest expertise corporations are scrambling to handle a rising disaster affecting hundreds of their staff on work visas, as new social media screening necessities set off delays at US embassies and consulates worldwide.

Google, Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow have all despatched advisories to visa-holding employees in latest days, warning them towards worldwide journey and describing appointment delays stretching as much as a yr.

The memos, despatched by immigration legislation corporations representing these corporations or by their inner authorized groups, paint an image of mounting uncertainty for overseas employees who kind a crucial a part of the tech trade’s workforce.

The warnings come as American embassies have postponed routine visa stamping appointments, leaving some staff already overseas unable to return to work within the US for prolonged durations.

For H-1B holders, the primary work visa utilized by tech corporations, the scenario creates a very tough bind. If their visa stamp expires and so they journey overseas, they have to receive a brand new stamp at a consulate earlier than re-entering the US. With appointments now being rescheduled months into the longer term, what would sometimes be a routine journey house has turn into a possible profession disruption lasting as much as a yr.

On Friday, a spokesperson for the Division of State instructed Enterprise Insider it was now conducting “on-line presence evaluations for candidates.” The division mentioned it might transfer appointments as sources change, with candidates in a position to request expedited slots on a case-by-case foundation.

“Whereas prior to now the emphasis could have been on processing circumstances shortly and lowering wait instances, our embassies and consulates world wide, together with in India, at the moment are prioritizing completely vetting every visa case above all else,” the State Division spokesperson mentioned. Appointments in Eire and Vietnam have additionally been postponed, in keeping with immigration agency Reddy Neumann Brown PC.

Under are the total texts of the interior memos despatched to staff at these corporations, obtained by Enterprise Insider, which reveal how company America is responding to the visa processing slowdown.

Google and Microsoft declined to remark, whereas Apple and ServiceNow didn’t reply to requests for remark from Enterprise Insider.

Microsoft

Under is the textual content of a memo despatched by Jack Chen, Microsoft’s affiliate normal counsel for immigration.

Replace #1 on H-1B/H-4 Visa Appointment Rescheduling and Stamping Delays

Hello everybody,

As shared yesterday, some U.S. consulates are rescheduling present H-1B/H-4 visa appointments and pushing dates out by a number of months. This is what we all know:

• Rescheduling notifications are concentrated in Chennai and Hyderabad, with some unverified reviews from different consulates. New dates are as far out as June 2026.
• The delays stem from operational constraints tied to the new on-line presence evaluate for H-1B/H-4 visas, efficient December 15, which reduces every day processing capability. We’re additionally listening to that these consulates wanted time to implement new vetting procedures.
• We now have no confirmed reviews of rescheduling for different visa sorts but. Whereas solely H-1B/H-4, F, J, and M visas are topic to the web presence evaluate, we expect secondary impacts on general processing could emerge.
• We do not know if rescheduling is ongoing, for these whose authentic visa appointments haven’t been modified.

Some staff have already traveled for appointments and obtained rescheduling notices with out warning; others are getting notices earlier than departure. To set expectations, it’s extremely unlikely emergency appointments might be granted, given the circumstances.

This can be a quickly creating scenario. Right here is our preliminary steering, which we’ll replace as we be taught extra. Please learn this subsequent part fastidiously—I’ve tried to simplify it, however the particulars do matter:

For these at the moment exterior the U.S.:

• You want a brand new visa stamp + your H-1B visa appointment was rescheduled months later: We are going to contact you. Please comply with the directions under to report your scenario (even in the event you’ve already contacted AskUSI).
• Your H-1B visa appointment was rescheduled BUT you continue to have some validity left in your present visa stamp: In case your visa is for the right work-authorized class, return earlier than your present visa expires. This case applies for individuals who had scheduled visa appointments as a result of their visas are expiring quickly, not earlier than the return to the U.S. is deliberate.

For these nonetheless within the U.S.:

• You have got upcoming journey + will want a brand new visa to return + your H-1B visa appointment was rescheduled months later: You need to strongly take into account altering your journey plans. You can’t return till your new visa stamp is issued, and it is extremely unlikely that the appointment may be moved earlier. And there are limitations to your capacity to carry out work on your U.S. position throughout that interval. See Microsoft World Mobility Payroll and Tax Compliance Coverage.
• You have got upcoming journey + will want a brand new visa to return BUT your H-1B visa appointment has not been rescheduled: There may be danger your appointment could possibly be moved throughout your journey and end in you being caught overseas. Issue this into your resolution. We’re nonetheless studying extra about how widespread and important delays are in different consulates.

For different visa classes (not H-1B/H-4, F, J, M): Proceed as deliberate for now, however notice issues can change shortly.

HOW YOU CAN HELP US IDENTIFY TRENDS

To trace real-time impacts, we want knowledge from staff whose appointments have been rescheduled or could also be quickly. It will assist us determine:

• Which consulates are affected
• When notifications of rescheduling are being despatched
• Size of delays
• Whether or not different visa sorts are impacted

If in case you have a visa appointment scheduled with a U.S. consulate for any visa class, we have created a survey the place you may share these particulars with us. And importantly, the survey permits you to replace your responses—for instance, if you have not been rescheduled once you initially full this survey, however subsequently obtain a rescheduling notification. This manner can be the clearest means for us to determine staff who’re at the moment exterior the U.S. and can’t return till a brand new visa stamp is issued: Census of Upcoming Visa Stamping Appointments — Fill out kind

We’ll share out insights based mostly on these responses and additional data we’re in a position to collect by the top of the week.

For workers at the moment caught overseas—we all know that is an anxious second. We are going to present clear and orderly steering to you straight as quickly as we are able to.

Google

Under is the textual content of an e-mail despatched by Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL), the immigration agency that represents Google.

Hello everybody,

Please bear in mind that some U.S. Embassies and Consulates are experiencing important visa stamping appointment delays, at the moment reported as as much as 12 months.

On account of excessive demand and enhanced screening for H-1B, H-4, F, J and M visas, visa processing is taking longer than standard. In case you require a brand new visa stamp to re-enter the U.S., we advocate avoiding worldwide journey right now as you danger an prolonged keep exterior the U.S.

We encourage you to evaluate go/bal-travel-advisory. If in case you have any questions, attain out to schedule a session with a BAL legal professional at go/getsupport.

Thanks,

BAL

Apple

Under is the textual content of an e-mail despatched by Apple’s immigration staff.

Given the latest updates and the opportunity of unpredictable, prolonged delays when returning to the US, we strongly advocate that staff with no legitimate H-1B visa stamp keep away from worldwide journey for now. If journey can’t be postponed, staff ought to join with Apple Immigration and Fragomen upfront to debate the dangers.

ServiceNow

Under is the textual content of an e-mail despatched by ServiceNow’s World Mobility Workforce.

Potential cancellation of US consulate appointments for H-1B and H-4 visa holders

World Mobility replace

What to know

The US State Division has introduced that some consulate appointments for people holding H-1B and H-4 visas are being canceled as a consequence of a newly carried out evaluate course of that examines candidates’ on-line presence, together with social media exercise.

This transformation primarily impacts overseas nationals with appointments scheduled on or after December 15, 2025, at US consulates in India who require visa stamps to return to the US. Nonetheless, it may additionally impression different visa sorts and consulates sooner or later.

Please see the Fragomen consumer alert right here.

Notification course of

In case your appointment is affected by this course of change, you’ll obtain an e-mail from the consulate with a cancellation discover and a brand new appointment, which in some circumstances could possibly be as late as November 2026.

In case you’re exterior the U.S. proper now

• In case you want a brand new visa stamp and your H-1B visa appointment has been delayed by a number of months: Attain out to your supervisor as quickly as potential to debate whether or not an exception to the 30-day Work from Anyplace coverage is warranted.
• In case your H-1B appointment has been delayed, however your present visa stamp continues to be legitimate: In case your visa class permits you to work within the U.S., we advocate you come earlier than your present visa expires.

Exceptions and emergency appointments

In case your appointment has been cancelled or rescheduled, chances are you’ll apply for an emergency expedited appointment in the event you meet one of many following standards:

1. Demise within the household
2. Medical want / Household Emergency
3. Potential lack of substantial income, earnings, or contracts for the corporate

We now have heard that the expedited consulate appointment course of is leading to an earlier appointment, so you’re inspired to do this method by finishing the request kind. Please evaluate the Expedited Consulate Appointments web site for extra particulars.

Working from India or any location utilizing the Work from Anyplace exception

If delay would materially impression income/contracts or there is a medical/household emergency, ServiceNow will evaluate and approve exceptions to the 30-day Work from Anyplace tips on a case-by-case foundation.

Journey steering

In case you’re planning journey, please seek the advice of with Fragomen for steering earlier than making any preparations. If in case you have upcoming journeys to India that require a consulate appointment for visa stamping to return to the U.S., we advocate cancelling these plans. In any other case, you danger important delays in securing an appointment to use for a visa stamp.

Help

If in case you have questions on consulate appointment cancellations or upcoming journey, you may attain out to Fragomen via the Fragomen Messenger function throughout the Fragomen Join Portal or submit a request to the World Mobility staff.

The World Mobility Workforce

Have a tip? Contact Pranav Dixit through e-mail at pranavdixit@protonmail.com or Sign at 1-408-905-9124. Use a private e-mail tackle, a nonwork WiFi community, and a nonwork system; here’s our guide to sharing information securely.