Read the memos Google, Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow sent visa workers warning them not to travel

Tech companies are advising some visa-holding employees not to travel outside the US. A new regulation requiring the social media vetting of some visa applicants is causing major delays. Read the memos that Google, Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow have sent to some employees. The world's largest technology companies are scrambling to manage a growing crisis affecting thousands of their employees on work visas, as new social media screening requirements trigger delays at US embassies and consulates worldwide. Google , Apple, Microsoft, and ServiceNow have all sent advisories to visa-holding employees in recent days, warning them against international travel and describing appointment delays stretching up to a year. The memos, sent by immigration law firms representing these companies or by their internal legal teams, paint a picture of mounting uncertainty for foreign workers who form a critical part of the tech industry's workforce. The warnings come as American embassies have postponed routine visa stamping appointments, leaving some employees already abroad unable to return to work in the US for extended periods. For H-1B holders, the primary work visa used by tech companies, the situation creates a particularly difficult bind. If their visa stamp expires and they travel abroad, they must obtain a new stamp at a consulate before re-entering the US. With appointments now being rescheduled months into the future, what would typically be a routine trip home has become a potential career disruption lasting up to a year. On Friday, a spokesperson for the Department of State told Business Insider it was now conducting "online presence reviews for applicants." The department said it may move appointments as resources change, with applicants able to request expedited slots on a case-by-case basis. "While in the past the emphasis may have been on processing cases quickly and reducing wait times, our embassies and consulates around the world, including in India, are now prioritizing thoroughly vetting each visa case above all else," the State Department spokesperson said. Appointments in Ireland and Vietnam have also been postponed, according to immigration firm Reddy Neumann Brown PC. Below are the full texts of the internal memos sent to employees at these companies, obtained by Business Insider, which reveal how corporate America is responding to the visa processing slowdown. Google declined to comment, while Microsoft , Apple , and ServiceNow did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. Microsoft Below is the text of a memo sent by Jack Chen, Microsoft's associate general counsel for immigration. Update #1 on H-1B/H-4 Visa Appointment Rescheduling and Stamping Delays Hi everyone, As shared yesterday, some U.S. consulates are rescheduling existing H-1B/H-4 visa appointments and pushing dates out by several months. Here's what we know: Rescheduling notifications are concentrated in Chennai and Hyderabad , with some unverified reports from other consulates. New dates are as far out as June 2026 . The delays stem from operational constraints tied to the new online presence review for H-1B/H-4 visas , effective December 15 , which reduces daily processing capacity. We're also hearing...

Preview: ~500 words