Amazon Allows Remote Work for H-1B Staff Stranded in India Until March 2026

Amazon has temporarily adjusted its return-to-office approach to accommodate employees affected by extended delays in US visa processing, offering a narrowly defined remote work arrangement for a specific group of staff based in India, as per Business Insider report. 

Eligibility and Duration of the Arrangement 

According to a report by Business Insider, Amazon has allowed certain H-1B and H-4 visa holders to continue working remotely from India until March 2, 2026. The measure applies only to employees who were physically present in India as of December 13, 2025, and are awaiting rescheduled visa appointments.  

Under Amazon’s standard policy, employees travelling for visa renewals are typically allowed to work remotely for up to 20 business days, making the current authorisation a multi-month extension for those impacted by processing backlogs. 

Scope of Work and Operational Limits 

The company has imposed strict boundaries on what affected employees can do while working from India. The internal memo cited in the report states that employees cannot code, test, troubleshoot or document software, nor can they interact with customers, partners or vendors, including discussions related to pricing or contracts.  

They are also barred from making strategic decisions, managing teams or providing final approvals. Employees are not permitted to work from Amazon offices or sites in India and must carry out any allowed tasks from their homes or other non-Amazon locations.  

Visa Backlogs and Industry Impact 

The temporary policy comes as H-1B visa processing times have lengthened due to appointment backlogs, partly driven by expanded social media review requirements under new US immigration rules.  

Some applicants are facing waits extending into late 2026 or beyond. Amazon, which filed nearly 14,800 H-1B applications in 2024, is among the largest corporate users of the programme and is therefore significantly exposed to these disruptions.  

Similar caution has been observed across the technology sector, with companies such as Google, Apple and Microsoft advising visa-holding employees to avoid international travel. 

Read More: Adani Group Plans $5 Billion Investment in Google's India AI Data Centre! 

Conclusion 

While Amazon’s extended remote work window offers short-term relief to affected employees, the limitations on core job functions mean uncertainty persists for many, particularly if visa delays extend beyond the March 2026 deadline. 

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