The H-1B visa program, which is heavily used by the U.S. technology industry to hire skilled professionals from countries such as India and China, has come under increased scrutiny after Trump introduced a USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B applications this year.
Published: December 22, 2025 7:58 AM IST
Google and Apple have warned some of their employees in the United States not to travel abroad because they could face long delays while trying to return, according to a report by Business Insider. The companies told workers who are on U.S. work or student visas that visa stamping appointments at US embassies are taking much longer than usual. In some cases, employees may have to wait up to 12 months for an appointment. This advice was shared through internal company emails, the report said.
Immigration law firms that work with Google and Apple explained that the delays are mainly due to new rules that require deeper checks of applicants’ social media activity. Because of this, employees who leave the US could get stuck outside the country if their visa appointments are delayed or postponed.
The warning applies to people holding H-1B, H-4, F, J, and M visas. Google’s internal memo reportedly said that several U.S. embassies and consulates are currently facing appointment backlogs that can stretch for a year. Neither Google nor Apple responded immediately to questions from Reuters.
Trump announces stricter check for H-1B visa
Earlier this month, the administration of Donald Trump announced stricter checks for H-1B visas, which are issued to highly skilled foreign workers. These new checks include reviewing applicants’ social media accounts more closely.
The H-1B visa program, which is heavily used by the U.S. technology industry to hire skilled professionals from countries such as India and China, has come under increased scrutiny after the Donald Trump administration introduced a USD 100,000 fee for new H-1B applications this year.
On December 2, the U.S. government sent instructions to all its embassies, asking visa officers to carry out more detailed checks on H-1B applicants. Officers were told to carefully review resumes and LinkedIn profiles, not only of applicants but also of their family members who plan to travel with them.
As part of the screening, officials were asked to flag any past work linked to areas such as misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance, or online safety.
Earlier, in September, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, had advised its employees to avoid travelling outside the U.S. An internal email seen by Reuters also urged H-1B visa holders to stay in the country to avoid possible travel and visa-related problems.
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