Amazon Grants Rare Remote-Work Exception for Employees Stranded in India Amid H-1B Visa Delays
- ByStartupStory | January 5, 2026
Global e-commerce giant Amazon has taken the unusual step of allowing some of its employees who are stuck in India due to prolonged delays in the U.S. H-1B visa processing to continue working remotely until March 2, 2026 which is a move that breaks from the company’s strict return-to-office policy introduced in January 2025.
Under its standard workplace rules, Amazon expected most of its staff to adhere to a five-day in-office work week beginning early last year under CEO Andy Jassy’s leadership. However, the company has carved out a temporary exception for U.S.-based employees who were physically in India as of December 13, 2025, and are now unable to travel back because of visa appointment backlogs. That backlog stems from ongoing delays in scheduling interviews for H-1B and H-4 visas at U.S. consulates and embassies.
The remote-work concession is not a blanket return to Amazon’s previous work-from-home norms. According to an internal memo seen by Business Insider and shared with staff, it applies only through the early March 2026 deadline and solely to those awaiting visa interviews. Amazon normally allows employees abroad for visa renewals to work remotely for up to 20 business days, but this period has now been extended significantly as an accommodation to the extraordinary backlog affecting visa processing.
Strict Limits on Work Duties
Despite the extended remote-work window, Amazon has imposed significant restrictions on the tasks employees can perform from India to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. These limitations are designed to prevent workers from engaging in activities that could create tax, employment or corporate presence obligations in India. Under the temporary arrangement:
- Employees may not write code, troubleshoot, test, or document software, effectively sidelining most core technical functions.
- They are also barred from making strategic decisions, managing teams, negotiating or signing contracts, or interacting directly with customers or partners.
- Affected staff cannot work from or visit any Amazon office or facility in India while under this arrangement.
- All essential reviews, approvals and decision-making are to be carried out outside India once the employees return to the United States.
These restrictions mean that while employees remain on the payroll, their capacity to perform meaningful job duties is sharply limited during the remote-work period. Amazon emphasises that the measure is a temporary remedy and not a formal change to its overall workplace policies.
Visa Delays Disrupt Tech Sector Mobility
The exception comes amid widespread reports of lengthy visa processing times at U.S. consulates and embassies, particularly for employment-based H-1B visas. A range of factors including expanded background checks and social media vetting requirements have contributed to scheduling delays that stretch months beyond typical appointment timelines. This has complicated the ability of highly skilled professionals to return to the United States after international travel.
Amazon is one of the largest corporate users of the H-1B visa programme, with tens of thousands of applications filed in recent years, making it particularly vulnerable to these backlogs. Other U.S. technology companies, such as Google, Apple and Microsoft, have similarly warned staff about potential travel disruptions linked to extended visa processing delays.
What Happens Next?
Affected Amazon employees have been told that the remote-work arrangement will end on or before March 2, 2026, or when they are able to secure their visa interviews and return to the United States. There is no guarantee that further extensions will be granted if delays continue beyond that date, leaving some workers in a state of uncertainty.
The situation highlights the broader impact of immigration-related delays on global labour mobility and corporate operations. Amazon’s temporary policy adjustment provides short-term relief, but it also underscores the ongoing challenges faced by multinational employers and skilled workers navigating a complex visa landscape.
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