Apple and Google advise U.S.-based visa workers to avoid international travel amid extended vetting and H-1B visa delays under Trump administration policies

Apple and Google have warned some U.S.-based employees on visas against travelling abroad due to the risk of prolonged delays returning to the United States, according to internal memos reviewed by NPR.

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The advisories follow new vetting measures by the Trump administration, which require visa applicants to undergo social media screenings covering up to five years. U.S. consulates and embassies have reported lengthy delays, sometimes stretching months, for visa appointments under the policy.

Critics have decried the measures as an invasion of privacy and a threat to free speech.

Berry Appleman & Leiden, a law firm working with Google, told employees: “We recommend avoiding international travel at this time as you risk an extended stay outside of the U.S.” Similarly, Fragomen, which advises Apple, urged employees without valid H-1B visa stamps to avoid foreign travel and to consult immigration counsel if travel is unavoidable.

The warnings come amid other restrictive measures.

The White House announced a $100,000 fee for companies seeking new H-1B visas, a programme heavily relied upon by U.S. tech companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers.

H-1B holders typically travel abroad to renew visas every three years, but the new rules have made even routine trips potentially disruptive.

Reports indicate that hundreds of visa holders travelling to India to renew H-1Bs experienced postponed appointments, with officials citing the need to ensure applicants “pose no threat to U.S. national security or public safety.”

At Google, the Alphabet Workers’ Union has called for additional protections for H-1B workers, warning that potential layoffs could jeopardise legal status for employees reliant on employer sponsorship.

Parul Koul, a Google software engineer and union leader, said heightened scrutiny and vetting under the Trump administration have made the support of visa holders “more urgent than ever.”

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The memos underline the growing impact of U.S. immigration policies on highly skilled foreign workers, signalling caution for those who may need to travel internationally while on a visa.