Tech Giants Issue Urgent Travel Warning for H-1B Workers

Major U.S. technology companies, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, have issued internal advisories urging their H-1B visa employees to avoid international travel or return to the U.S. immediately. This “lockdown” on travel is driven by two major policy shifts that have created a crisis for high-skilled foreign workers.

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The Two Major Policy Triggers

1. The $100,000 “Entry Fee”

Following an Executive Order (EO) by President Donald Trump in September, a new $100,000 fee was imposed on fresh H-1B applications.

• The Confusion: Initially, it was unclear if this fee applied only to new hires or also to existing workers trying to re-enter the country.
• The Risk: While the White House later clarified that current holders wouldn’t be charged to re-enter, legal firms like Fragomen and BAL Immigration warned that if a worker gets stuck abroad and loses their job, “re-hiring” them would become prohibitively expensive ($100,000), making re-entry nearly impossible.

2. Extreme Social Media Vetting

New rules now require a thorough audit of an applicant’s social media history. This has transformed a routine administrative step into a massive bottleneck.

• Interview Delays: Because manual social media reviews are time-consuming, consulates (especially in India) are overwhelmed.
• The 2026 Backlog: Appointments originally set for early 2026 have been pushed back as far as October 2026, leaving workers who traveled for “visa stamping” stranded indefinitely.

Impact at a Glance

Challenge	Consequence for H-1B Employees
Logistics	Routine visa interviews are being rescheduled multiple times.
Financial	The $100,000 fee makes H-1B workers “unappealing” to re-hire if they lose status.
Job Security	Experts advise against switching jobs, as the new fee applies to transfers.
Location	Hundreds of workers are currently stuck in India, unable to return to their U.S. roles.

The Corporate Response

The tech industry—which relies on H-1B holders for over 70% of its high-skilled workforce—is fighting back. California and 19 other states have filed a lawsuit against the Executive Order, arguing that these costs and restrictions jeopardize American schools, hospitals, and public services.

Until the courts intervene or the backlogs clear, the message from Silicon Valley is clear: Stay in the U.S. to keep your job.