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Google has warned some employees working in the United States on visas to avoid international travel, citing significant delays in visa re-entry processing at US embassies and consulates that could last up to a year, according to a report by Business Insider.
The advisory, issued through Google’s external immigration counsel BAL Immigration Law and reviewed by Business Insider, cautioned employees who require visa stamping that overseas travel could leave them unable to return to the US for several months due to appointment backlogs.
The email, sent on Thursday, December 18, urged affected staff to postpone non-essential international trips, warning of ‘unusually long’ visa stamping delays at US diplomatic missions worldwide.
Visa stamping delays reported up to 12 months
“Some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays, currently reported as up to 12 months,” the memo said, as quoted by Business Insider. It added that employees who travel abroad risk “an extended stay outside the US.”
According to the report, delays are being reported across multiple countries as US missions deal with routine visa backlogs following the introduction of enhanced social media screening requirements. These checks apply to several visa categories, including H-1B workers and their dependents (H-4), as well as students and exchange visitors on F, J and M visas.
Also read: Trump halts green card lottery programme: What it means for Indian applicants?
Google’s legal advisory noted that the disruption spans multiple visa categories but did not specify next steps for employees who are already outside the US and facing postponed appointments. A Google spokesperson declined to comment, Business Insider reported.
Enhanced vetting adds to travel uncertainty
The US Department of State acknowledged the delays, telling Business Insider on Friday, December 19, that it is conducting “online presence reviews for applicants.” A department spokesperson said visa appointments may be rescheduled as staffing and resources change, and that applicants can request expedited processing on a case-by-case basis.
“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 prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else,” the spokesperson said.
Immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC has also reported postponed visa appointments in countries such as Ireland and Vietnam, according to Business Insider.
Jason Finkelman, an immigration attorney, told Business Insider that although foreign nationals with valid visa stamps are typically allowed to re-enter the US, the expanded vetting process has made even routine travel unpredictable. “If travel isn’t essential right now, better to stay put,” he advised.
Also read: 20 US states sue Trump over $100,000 H-1B visa fee – All about it
The H-1B visa programme, which issues 85,000 new visas annually, remains a key hiring channel for major US technology companies including Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta. Under the Trump administration, the programme has become a political flash point, with critics arguing that increased scrutiny and higher compliance costs are making it harder for employers to hire skilled foreign workers.
The advisory, issued through Google’s external immigration counsel BAL Immigration Law and reviewed by Business Insider, cautioned employees who require visa stamping that overseas travel could leave them unable to return to the US for several months due to appointment backlogs.
The email, sent on Thursday, December 18, urged affected staff to postpone non-essential international trips, warning of ‘unusually long’ visa stamping delays at US diplomatic missions worldwide.
Visa stamping delays reported up to 12 months
“Some US Embassies and Consulates are experiencing significant visa stamping appointment delays, currently reported as up to 12 months,” the memo said, as quoted by Business Insider. It added that employees who travel abroad risk “an extended stay outside the US.”
According to the report, delays are being reported across multiple countries as US missions deal with routine visa backlogs following the introduction of enhanced social media screening requirements. These checks apply to several visa categories, including H-1B workers and their dependents (H-4), as well as students and exchange visitors on F, J and M visas.
Also read: Trump halts green card lottery programme: What it means for Indian applicants?
Google’s legal advisory noted that the disruption spans multiple visa categories but did not specify next steps for employees who are already outside the US and facing postponed appointments. A Google spokesperson declined to comment, Business Insider reported.
Enhanced vetting adds to travel uncertainty
The US Department of State acknowledged the delays, telling Business Insider on Friday, December 19, that it is conducting “online presence reviews for applicants.” A department spokesperson said visa appointments may be rescheduled as staffing and resources change, and that applicants can request expedited processing on a case-by-case basis.
“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 prioritising thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else,” the spokesperson said.
Immigration law firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC has also reported postponed visa appointments in countries such as Ireland and Vietnam, according to Business Insider.
Jason Finkelman, an immigration attorney, told Business Insider that although foreign nationals with valid visa stamps are typically allowed to re-enter the US, the expanded vetting process has made even routine travel unpredictable. “If travel isn’t essential right now, better to stay put,” he advised.
Also read: 20 US states sue Trump over $100,000 H-1B visa fee – All about it
The H-1B visa programme, which issues 85,000 new visas annually, remains a key hiring channel for major US technology companies including Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta. Under the Trump administration, the programme has become a political flash point, with critics arguing that increased scrutiny and higher compliance costs are making it harder for employers to hire skilled foreign workers.
