Warning to Googlers on US visas: Do not leave the US as there is no telling when you can return
Photo: Nadeesha Gamage | Dreamstime.com
Google has advised its employees with US visas to avoid leaving the US for international travel because of delays at embassies, according to an internal email cited by Business Insider and Reuters.
The email, sent Thursday by BAL Immigration Law, which advises the Alphabet-owned company, warns employees who need a visa stamp to re-enter the United States not to leave the country because visa processing times have been extended.
Google did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Some U.S. embassies and consulates are experiencing visa processing delays of up to 12 months, the memo said, warning that international travelers will “risk an extended stay outside the U.S.,” according to the report.
President Donald Trump's administration this month announced stricter vetting of H-1B visa applicants for high-skilled workers, including checking social media accounts.
The H-1B visa program, widely used by the U.S. tech sector to hire skilled workers from India and China, has been in the spotlight after the Trump administration imposed a $100,000 fee on new applications this year.
In September, Google's parent company Alphabet strongly advised its employees to avoid international travel and urged H-1B visa holders to stay in the US, according to an email seen by Reuters.
Photo: DreamsTime.com
