As a spouse of an H1B Visa holder, it used to be the norm that you must apply for your Visa to join your spouse in the US. The H4 Visa is a requirement for H1B spouses who wish to come to the US to work, live, or study.
But two US lawmakers, Congresswoman Carolyn Boudreaux and Maria Elvira Salazar, have introduced a bill in the House of Representatives, which, if passed, will benefit the spouses of thousands of immigrants, including Indians, and address the opportunity gap as well as labor shortage affecting American businesses.
✈️ What is the H4 Visa?
H4 Visas are usually issued to dependent spouses and children who accompany H-1B, H2A, H2B, and H3 Visa holders to the US. Many H4 Visa holders are highly skilled people in their own right and previously had careers of their own before moving to the US with their spouses.
? What’s in the new bill that will bring about significant change?
Introduced by Congresswomen Carolyn Boudreaux and Maria Elvira Salazar on Thursday, the H4 Work Authorisation Act plans to change the current law and grant the spouses of H1B Visa holders an automatic right to work after receiving their H4 Visa.
This means that if the bill is passed, it will remove the requirement for Visa holders to apply for Form I765, an Employment Authorisation Document (EAD).
Both the lawmakers also mentioned that the proposed legislation aims to address the labor shortage in the country affecting the business and will also help the immigrant families thrive in the US.
? Why was this bill proposed in the first place?
Currently, the approval for work authorization can take anywhere from six to eight months, with some applications taking over one year to be approved because of the massive backlog present in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The bill, endorsed by the National Immigration Forum and nonprofit advocacy organization UnidosUs, hopes to fill America’s labor gap and allow these visa holders to work and provide for their families quickly.
Additionally, the bill could also help reduce the massive backlog of work authorization at USCIS by providing immediate work authorization to H4 visa holders and reducing the number of work authorizations USCIS must process.
? How does Zolve help you?
If you are planning to move to the US, sign up for a Zolve Credit Card and Zolve Bank Account, while you are still in your home country and start transacting the minute you land. Building your credit footprint in the US from day 1 is what Zolve helps you with. Apply now: https://bit.ly/3wrr0zj
