The Washington Post recently published an article about the immigration changes that are likely to affect the spouses of high-skilled immigrants. The article tackled the recent announcement from the Department of Homeland Security stating that it will be publishing a rule to allow the spouses of H-1B visa holders to apply for work permits in the United States. According to the article, the announcement was made as part of the ongoing reforms that are being done in the immigration policy. This rule will be affecting 97,000 people in the first year and 30,000 per year after that.
Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders
H-1B visa holders are the people of foreign nationalities who are sponsored by US companies to work for them. They are employed and given the H-1B visa because of their exceptional skills which are needed by the US companies hiring them. On the other hand, their spouses who are considered as their dependents are given the H4 visa so they can also stay in the US with their spouses. H4 visa does not allow a person holding it to apply for a work permit unless the spouse applies for a green card.
A Majority of the H4 visa holders are also highly skilled with careers they left behind in their countries. For some, the visa restrictions cause psychological and emotional despairs that often result to marital problems. There are also instances that the frustrations pile up which eventually leave some with no other choice but to go back home to their countries. The government is currently reforming its policy on immigration to be able to retain highly skilled workers and avoid these situations from happening in the future.
Restrictions of H4 Visas
The new rule will take effect soon but the H4 visa holders will still be facing another challenge. He or she can only apply for a work permit provided that the spouse already applied for permanent resident card or the green card which again is another challenge. It is another challenge because US companies do not always sponsor their workers to become permanent residents because of the tedious process and exasperating document requirements. In some cases, the applications take a long time with little to no guarantee of approval.
Despite the challenges that H-1B, H4 and other visa holders are facing, the new rule and the continuing reforms in the immigration policy surely give hope and assurance that everything will be alright in terms of legally staying and working in the U.S. With the help of immigration lawyers and experts, the American dream will be within reach of each aspirant.
Applying For a Green Card
Applying for visa or green card may be exceedingly difficult for some as the immigration policy has not been allowing additional immigrants. Every year there are more applicants and is continuously increasing. There are already 4.4 million applicants waiting for the approval of their green cards as of November 2013 alone and USCIS is not expanding availability. The strict US regulations only allow a few of the many who file for a visa or green card.
The best way to stand a chance of passing through the regulation is by hiring an attorney who understands the filing process, can effectively file, quickly file and can provide the applicant with the best possible representation.
Immigration Attorney in Northern Virginia
The Pride Immigration Law Firm PLLC is helping workers, students, investors, and IT businesses with immigration legal services in this area. Be assured of the best legal advice and representation from a successful immigration lawyer who cares and understands the hardships of those who are facing immigration problems. Attorney Beeraj Patel has had success due to years of experience in immigration law through a meticulous and systematic approach. He successfully worked over 1000 individual H1-B cases, over 500 individual PERM cases, substantial amount of J-1, L-1 and E Visas (including EB5 investor visas) and Green Card applications.
Interested in hearing more about H4 visa developments or other types of visas? Contact us immediately, we are happy to answer your questions and thank you for reading!
Beeraj Patel, Esq.
Latest posts by Beeraj Patel, Esq. (see all)
- What Benefits Does a Green Card Provide? - November 18, 2024
- Common Issues with Form I-140 and How to Overcome Them - November 12, 2024
- How Long Will It Take to Get a Green Card? - October 7, 2024