Amazon Allows Indian Employees To Work Remotely Due To H-1B Visa Delays: However, They Can’t Do These Things…..

Amazon has announced a temporary relief to its strict return-to-office policy by allowing some employees stranded in India due to H-1B visa delays to work remotely until March 2, 2026. There is a condition to it that employees must have been in India as of December 13, 2025. awaiting visas. This move comes amid a growing visa issue that has left many tech workers unable to secure timely appointments at U.S. consulates. 

The policy change applies only to employees who were in India as of December 13, 2025, and are still awaiting rescheduled U.S. visa appointments. Normally, Amazon allows overseas remote work for no more than 20 business days, but the unprecedented backlog has forced the company to offer temporary relief so affected staff are not placed on extended leave. 

Under the internal memo that was shared to the affected employees via internal communication, employees working from India will face strict limitations on the kind of work they can perform. The announcement reportedly makes it clear that “all reviews, final decision-making, and sign-offs should be undertaken outside India.” As a result, staff are not allowed to code, test software, engage in development tasks, deploy code, carry out quality assurance, sign contracts, manage teams, or make strategic decisions while working remotely from India. 

The memo further states there are “no exceptions to these restrictions” for employees working remotely under this temporary arrangement. Amazon has advised staff to work closely with their managers and HR to ensure their daily tasks remain within permitted boundaries and warned that failure to comply could violate company policy or legal requirements. 

The delays are tied to expanded digital vetting requirements for the H-1B visa program implemented by the U.S. Department of State, which now includes broader social media screening and has contributed to slower processing times that has pushed some consulates to postpone interview dates. 

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