Amazon Visa Delays Force Strict Remote Work Policies in India

Visa delays have forced Amazon to implement strict remote work policies for employees in India. According to an internal memo, impacted employees may work from India until early March if they were present there as of December 13, 2025, and are awaiting visa rescheduling.

Remote Work Policy Overview

The memo indicates that employees are allowed to work remotely. However, they face multiple restrictions. They cannot engage in coding, decision-making, or customer interactions. This policy is a result of ongoing challenges linked to changes in the H-1B visa program.

Reasons Behind the Policy Changes

• The U.S. administration has imposed new requirements for visa applicants, including mandatory social media reviews.
• Such requirements have led to significant delays in visa processing times.
• Some visa appointments have been postponed for several months, complicating travel plans for employees.

Restrictions on Remote Work Activities

Those authorized to work remotely face limitations. Notably, they cannot:

• Engage in coding, including troubleshooting and testing.
• Work from or visit Amazon facilities.
• Negotiate contracts or make strategic business decisions.
• Interact with customers or conduct work that benefits Amazon’s operations in India.

The memo explicitly states that “all reviews and final decision making” must occur outside India. Furthermore, there are no exceptions to these guidelines, in compliance with local laws.

Challenges for Technical Employees

Many employees, particularly those in technical roles, have expressed concerns about the feasibility of their work under these restrictions. One engineer noted that a significant portion of their job relies on coding and development tasks that are not permissible under the current policy.

Data on H-1B Visa Applications

Amazon has been a major user of the H-1B visa program. In the 2024 fiscal year, the company submitted 14,783 applications. This included 23 applications for Whole Foods, highlighting their reliance on highly skilled foreign workers.

Future Outlook

The memo does not provide solutions for employees with appointments rescheduled beyond March 2, 2026. Some U.S. embassies have even pushed appointments as far out as 2027. Amazon continues to monitor the situation and promises further updates as developments occur.

Amazon’s policy changes reflect broader challenges faced by many global companies responding to evolving immigration regulations. Companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft have also issued travel advisories to safeguard their employees’ visa status during this turbulent period.