According to Business Insider, a law firm representing Google and Apple has warned employees who need a visa stamp to re-enter the United States to avoid leaving the country because the visa process will take longer than usual.
BI said it had seen notes from BAL Immigration Law (representing Google) and Fragomen (representing Apple).
“Given recent updates and the potential for unpredictable and lengthy delays in returning to the United States, we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for the time being,” Fragomen's memo said.
A State Department spokesperson told BI that the embassy is “currently prioritizing a thorough review of each visa application first and foremost.”
Salon also reported that “hundreds” of Indian professionals who returned to renew their U.S. work visas in December had their appointments at the U.S. embassy canceled or rescheduled due to new social media screening requirements.
TechCrunch has reached out to Google and Apple for comment. The companies, along with other large tech employers, issued a similar warning in September when the White House announced that employers would have to pay a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications.