Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-12-21 21:43Group 1 - The U.S. government has introduced new social media scrutiny requirements for certain visa applicants, leading to significant delays in the visa processing at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, with some appointments being postponed for up to a year [1][2] - Google and Apple have advised their foreign employees holding relevant work visas to avoid international travel to prevent potential long-term stays outside the U.S. due to these delays [1][3] - The delays in visa processing are attributed to the expansion of social media review requirements to all H-1B visa applicants and their families, which necessitates applicants to make their social media profiles public for consular officers to review [2][3] Group 2 - The memo sent to Google employees indicated that the delays affect multiple visa types, including H-1B, H-4, F, J, and M visas, with the H-1B visa being a temporary work visa that allows U.S. companies to hire foreign professionals to fill skill gaps [3] - The annual cap for H-1B visas is set at 85,000, and the Trump administration previously increased the fees for H-1B visa applications to $100,000, aiming to ensure that only high-skilled talent not replaceable by U.S. workers is brought into the country [3]