Google warns US visa staff against international travel
Apple and the Alphabet-owned Google are two of several tech companies that regularly issue warnings to users when they determine they may have been targeted by state-backed hackers. PHOTO: REUTERS
Alphabet Inc’s Google has advised some employees on US visas to avoid international travel due to prolonged visa processing delays at US embassies, Business Insider reported, citing an internal email.
According to the report, the email, sent on Thursday by the company’s external counsel, BAL Immigration Law, warned employees who require a visa stamp to re-enter the United States not to travel abroad, as processing times at embassies have lengthened significantly.
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Google did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The memo said some US embassies and consulates are facing visa appointment delays of up to 12 months, cautioning that international travel could “risk an extended stay outside the US,” the report added.
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Earlier this month, the administration of President Donald Trump announced stricter vetting of H-1B visa applicants, including screening of social media accounts. The H-1B programme, widely used by US technology firms to hire skilled workers from countries such as India and China, has come under increased scrutiny after the administration imposed a $100,000 fee on new applications this year.
In September, Google’s parent company Alphabet had also strongly advised employees to avoid international travel and urged H-1B visa holders to remain in the United States, according to an internal email seen by Reuters.