Google-Apple’s big decision: Employees with work visas stopped from leaving America, you will be surprised to know the reason

Washington. American tech giants Google and Apple are preventing employees who came to America on job visas from leaving the country. Business Insider has made this claim citing an email. According to this report, Google and Apple are advising some ‘work visa’ employees not to travel outside the US due to embassy delays. External legal counsel for both companies have sent emails to employees who need a visa stamp for re-entry into the US. Such employees have been advised not to leave the country as the visa process is taking longer than usual.

The report states that this delay is being caused by the implementation of social media verification requirements for certain types of travelers coming to the US. Last week, NBC, citing a US Customs and Protection (CBP) document, reported that US officials were planning to ask for the last five years of social media data from foreign travelers seeking entry into the country. The channel also clarified that CBP will collect detailed information about applicants’ phone numbers, email addresses and close family members used in the last five years. This includes names of family members, dates of birth and place of residence.

It is noteworthy that the Trump administration had instructed visa officers in November that they can refuse visas to people suffering from diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer on these grounds. According to the Washington Post, US State Department policy instructs visa officers to deny applicants entry to the US for a number of new reasons. This includes reaching retirement age, having aging parents, and having dependents with “special needs” or a disability. Earlier, CBP had released figures saying that America has searched a record number of phones and electronic devices of foreigners coming to the country in the last one year.