Apple and Google warn US visa holders about severe international travel delays due to US consulate processing backlogs and new social media screening
California: Apple has joined Google in advising employees on US work visas to avoid international travel, citing growing backlogs and sudden cancellations in visa renewal appointments at American consulates worldwide. The warnings come as highly skilled workers risk being stranded abroad for months due to new social media screening measures and extended delays in processing.
According to a report by Business Insider on Friday, both Apple and Google circulated urgent internal memos to visa-holding staff, cautioning that leaving the US could result in being unable to return for up to 12 months due to visa stamping delays.
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What is causing the visa delays?
Immigration law firms representing the companies said that the delays stem from newly implemented social media screening requirements by US authorities. These additional checks have reportedly slowed down visa interview scheduling and approvals across multiple consulates. Legal experts warned that even applicants with long-standing work histories in the US are being affected by the changes.
Who is affected by the appointment cancellations?
Reports indicate that hundreds, possibly thousands, of highly skilled workers have had their visa appointments cancelled over the past two weeks. Many of those impacted are H-1B visa holders who travelled to India in December to renew their work permits.
Instead of routine renewals, US consular offices abruptly cancelled appointments and pushed them back by several months, leaving workers overseas with no clear timeline for return. Emails reviewed by media included updates from the US State Department explaining that visa interviews had been delayed following the rollout of a new social media vetting policy. The exact number of affected applicants has not been disclosed.
It is also reported that interviews for several other visa categories are being postponed due to the enhanced scrutiny of applicants’ social media profiles, widening the impact beyond employment-based visas.
Published: 21 Dec 2025, 09:52 am IST
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