Alphabet’s Google has warned select employees with US visas not to travel internationally due to major delays at embassies, according to a Friday Business Insider report citing an internal email.
The alert, sent Thursday by the company’s external counsel BAL Immigration Law, urged workers needing visa stamps to re-enter the US to stay put, as processing times have stretched significantly. Google has not commented to Reuters.
The memo noted delays of up to 12 months for visa appointments at some US embassies and consulates, warning that trips abroad could result in prolonged stays outside the country.
This month, President Donald Trump’s administration revealed plans for heightened H-1B visa reviews for skilled workers, including social media checks. The H-1B program, popular in US tech for hiring talent from nations like India and China, faced new $100,000 application fees earlier this year.
In September, Google’s parent Alphabet had already advised staff to curb international trips and urged H-1B holders to remain in the US, per a Reuters-reviewed email.
