In an unusual internal move, Amazon has issued a memo addressing U.S.-based employees who are currently stranded in India due to prolonged H-1B and H-4 visa appointment delays. While the company has temporarily relaxed its strict return-to-office (RTO) rules, the memo exposes a far more complex and restrictive situation one that effectively prevents many technical employees from performing their core job functions.
Temporary Relief From RTO, With Conditions
The memo, sent on December 17, 2025, grants a Temporary Remote Work Authorization to a narrowly defined group of employees. To qualify, workers must have been physically present in India as of December 13, 2025, and must be awaiting a rescheduled U.S. visa appointment. Eligible employees are allowed to work remotely only until March 2, 2026.
This marks a significant exception to Amazon’s usual policy, which permits only 20 business days of remote work for employees traveling abroad for visa renewals. However, the relief is tightly constrained.
The “No-Coding” Rule: Severe Work Restrictions
To comply with Indian labor laws and preserve employees’ U.S.-based job classification, Amazon has imposed sweeping restrictions:
- No coding or technical execution: Employees cannot code, test, debug, troubleshoot, or even document software.
- No managerial authority: Strategic decision-making, product ownership, or managing teams especially Indian-based entities is prohibited.
- No customer or vendor interaction: Employees cannot communicate directly with customers, partners, or vendors, nor negotiate or sign contracts.
- No Amazon office access: Workers are barred from entering any Amazon facility in India and must work from non-Amazon locations.
- No final approvals: All official reviews and sign-offs must be completed by colleagues located outside India.
For most software development engineers, these rules eliminate 70–80% of their regular responsibilities.
Why This Is Happening
The policy stems from an unprecedented visa processing crisis. U.S. consulates have experienced extreme backlogs following enhanced screening requirements, including expanded social media reviews. Many employees who traveled for routine visa stamping have seen appointments delayed by months or even pushed to 2027.
Amazon’s memo mirrors actions taken by Google, Microsoft, and Apple, all of which have warned employees against international travel due to the risk of being unable to return.
Impact and Unanswered Questions
Industry analysts describe Amazon’s approach as a payroll preservation strategy keeping skilled employees paid and retained rather than forcing unpaid leave or layoffs during the visa limbo. However, the memo offers no guidance for employees whose delays extend beyond March 2, 2026, or for those stranded outside India.
As visa backlogs continue to disrupt global talent mobility, Amazon’s memo highlights a growing challenge for multinational tech companies and the professionals caught in between.
