Microsoft has issued an advisory for its workers on H-1B/H-4 amid the continuing visa appointment rescheduling and stamping delays. This comes amid new social media screening, stated to handle the potential “abuse of the H-1B program”. Calling it a “quickly creating scenario”, the software program large has issued “preliminary steering” for workers who’re within the US and are exterior the US urging them to “return earlier than your present visa expire”. The advisory, despatched by Jack Chen, Microsoft’s affiliate common counsel for immigration says “Rescheduling notifications are concentrated in Chennai and Hyderabad, with some unverified stories from different consulates. New dates are as far out as June 2026.”“Some workers have already traveled for appointments and acquired rescheduling notices with out warning; others are getting notices earlier than departure. To set expectations, it’s extremely unlikely emergency appointments will likely be granted, given the circumstances,” it provides.
Microsoft says it has created a survey the place workers can share their particulars in case they’ve an appointment scheduled with a US consulate. The survey, the corporate says, “ means that you can replace your responses—for instance, if you have not been rescheduled whenever you initially full this survey, however subsequently obtain a rescheduling notification.Notably, different tech giants together with Apple and Google have issued comparable advisory for his or her workers.
Microsoft’s journey advisory for H-1B/H-4 visa workers
Right here’s the total textual content of Microsoft’s journey advisory to H-1B/H-4 visa workers despatched by Jack Chen, Microsoft’s affiliate common counsel for immigrationReplace #1 on H-1B/H-4 Visa Appointment Rescheduling and Stamping DelaysHello everybody,As shared yesterday, some U.S. consulates are rescheduling current H-1B/H-4 visa appointments and pushing dates out by a number of months. Here is what we all know:
- Rescheduling notifications are concentrated in Chennai and Hyderabad, with some unverified stories from different consulates. New dates are as far out as June 2026.
- The delays stem from operational constraints tied to the brand new on-line presence overview for H-1B/H-4 visas, efficient December 15, which reduces day by day processing capability. We’re additionally listening to that these consulates wanted time to implement new vetting procedures.
- Now we have no confirmed stories of rescheduling for different visa sorts but. Whereas solely H-1B/H-4, F, J, and M visas are topic to the web presence overview, we predict secondary impacts on total processing could emerge.
- We do not know if rescheduling is ongoing, for these whose authentic visa appointments haven’t been modified.
Some workers have already traveled for appointments and acquired rescheduling notices with out warning; others are getting notices earlier than departure. To set expectations, it’s extremely unlikely emergency appointments will likely be granted, given the circumstances.This can be a quickly creating scenario. Right here is our preliminary steering, which we’ll replace as we study extra. Please learn this subsequent part fastidiously—I’ve tried to simplify it, however the particulars do matter:For these presently exterior the U.S.:
- You want a brand new visa stamp + your H-1B visa appointment was rescheduled months later: We are going to contact you. Please comply with the directions beneath to report your scenario (even in case you’ve already contacted AskUSI).
- Your H-1B visa appointment was rescheduled BUT you continue to have some validity left in your present visa stamp: In case your visa is for the right work-authorized class, return earlier than your present visa expires. This example applies for individuals who had scheduled visa appointments as a result of their visas are expiring quickly, not earlier than the return to the U.S. is deliberate.
- You’ve got upcoming journey + will want a brand new visa to return + your H-1B visa appointment was rescheduled months later: It is best to strongly contemplate altering your journey plans. You can’t return till your new visa stamp is issued, and it is extremely unlikely that the appointment could be moved earlier. And there are limitations to your potential to carry out work in your U.S. function throughout that interval. See Microsoft International Mobility Payroll and Tax Compliance Coverage.
- You’ve got upcoming journey + will want a brand new visa to return BUT your H-1B visa appointment has not been rescheduled: There’s danger your appointment may very well be moved throughout your journey and end in you being caught overseas. Issue this into your determination. We’re nonetheless studying extra about how widespread and vital delays are in different consulates.
For different visa classes (not H-1B/H-4, F, J, M): Proceed as deliberate for now, however notice issues can change rapidly.HOW YOU CAN HELP US IDENTIFY TRENDSTo trace real-time impacts, we want information from workers whose appointments have been rescheduled or could also be quickly. This can assist us determine:
- Which consulates are affected
- When notifications of rescheduling are being despatched
- Size of delays
- Whether or not different visa sorts are impacted
You probably have a visa appointment scheduled with a U.S. consulate for any visa class, we have created a survey the place you’ll be able to share these particulars with us. And importantly, the survey means that you can replace your responses—for instance, if you have not been rescheduled whenever you initially full this survey, however subsequently obtain a rescheduling notification. This kind can also be the clearest method for us to determine workers who’re presently exterior the U.S. and can’t return till a brand new visa stamp is issued: Census of Upcoming Visa Stamping Appointments — Fill out kindWe’ll share out insights primarily based on these responses and additional info we’re in a position to collect by the top of the week.For workers presently caught overseas—we all know that is an anxious second. We are going to present clear and orderly steering to you immediately as quickly as we are able to.