Alphabet (Google) and Apple have issued internal advisories urging employees on US work and study visas—many of them Chinese nationals—not to travel internationally over the Christmas–New Year period. Business Insider first reported the memo, which warns that visa-stamping appointments at some US consulates now stretch to 12 months.
The backlog follows Washington’s decision to intensify social-media vetting for H-1B, H-4, F, J and M visa applicants. Immigration law firm Berry Appleman & Leiden notes that first-available slots at the US Consulate in Guangzhou are in November 2026, while Singapore and Frankfurt remain viable—but costly—third-country options.
Companies and individuals looking for help navigating these shifting requirements may find value in working with VisaHQ, which tracks real-time consular wait times, books expedited slots when available, and handles document logistics; its dedicated China page (https://www.visahq.com/china/) outlines how the service supports both Chinese passport holders and multinational HR teams confronting unpredictable U.S. visa queues.
![US Visa-Stamping Backlog Forces Big Tech to Warn China-Born Staff Against Holiday Travel]()
For employers, the risk is business continuity: if engineers travel home for Lunar New Year and cannot secure a new visa stamp in time, they may be stranded abroad and lose employment status. Both tech giants have set up remote-work contingencies and emergency L-1 transfers to Canada, but smaller firms could face project delays.
Mobility teams are auditing travel plans, advising staff to use the State Department’s limited “drop-box” renewal pilot where eligible, and exploring in-country status changes. The episode underscores how geopolitical friction continues to complicate global talent flows even as China itself reopens.
HR takeaway: start renewal processes at least six months before travel, monitor consular wait times daily and have backup assignments ready in lower-risk jurisdictions.
The backlog follows Washington’s decision to intensify social-media vetting for H-1B, H-4, F, J and M visa applicants. Immigration law firm Berry Appleman & Leiden notes that first-available slots at the US Consulate in Guangzhou are in November 2026, while Singapore and Frankfurt remain viable—but costly—third-country options.
Companies and individuals looking for help navigating these shifting requirements may find value in working with VisaHQ, which tracks real-time consular wait times, books expedited slots when available, and handles document logistics; its dedicated China page (https://www.visahq.com/china/) outlines how the service supports both Chinese passport holders and multinational HR teams confronting unpredictable U.S. visa queues.
For employers, the risk is business continuity: if engineers travel home for Lunar New Year and cannot secure a new visa stamp in time, they may be stranded abroad and lose employment status. Both tech giants have set up remote-work contingencies and emergency L-1 transfers to Canada, but smaller firms could face project delays.
Mobility teams are auditing travel plans, advising staff to use the State Department’s limited “drop-box” renewal pilot where eligible, and exploring in-country status changes. The episode underscores how geopolitical friction continues to complicate global talent flows even as China itself reopens.
HR takeaway: start renewal processes at least six months before travel, monitor consular wait times daily and have backup assignments ready in lower-risk jurisdictions.
