H4 visa holder can work at home

H4 visa holder can work at home

Author: bugaga Date: 12.07.2017

A life in the USA, is a desirable one for a lot of Indians. It gives many a chance at a better job, better life and even an opportunity to live their American dream.

In fact, living and working in the US, has become a sign of success and a right of passage, for many NRI bachelors, into the elite status of a great catch! How many times have you heard a marriage alliance being described with its single most significant virtue — Ladka NRI hain, Umreeka mein kaam karta hain!

3 Ways to Apply For a Dependent Visa - wikiHow

The groom is an NRI and works in the USA! You see, the US still brings up images of Shah Rukh Khan serenading his lady love from the gorgeous Brooklyn bridge or the Bachchans living in a mansion with white people bringing them their morning tea.

And every year, a young Indian girl travels across the oceans to land up in an unknown country with a man she barely knows. She becomes an H4 visa holder — the dependent spouse. While such a visa status is not exclusive for women, of course, but they constitute the largest number of dependent visa holders. Well, it starts with the realization that there is no red Ferrari, no large mansion and the place she will now call home is a city with a population of ten.

h4 visa holder can work at home

They are not allowed to work or earn anything, not even from online or stay-at-home jobs that can help them gain some measure of financial independence. There are no Social Security Numbers for them and the only thing they are literally allowed to do, outside home, is shop for groceries. Many such dependents, most of whom are forced housewives, have excellent qualifications and probably even had successful careers before they were transformed into a perpetual state of inactivity.

The archaic laws prevent these legal immigrants from any opportunities. The land of dreams often turns into a nightmare, for the dependent spouse, who, in the best case scenario, has a compassionate partner who helps her through the depression of feeling lonely and worthless. In its worst form, there are known cases of emotional or even physical abuse due to a total lack of independence. While there have been attempts to allow for certain concessions in the rules for H4 Visa holders, the conditions for those concessions are still very rigid.

The road to independence is still convoluted. Delhi still bahut dooor hain! However, here is an attempt to list the various ways an H4 Visa holder can find a way, however long and winding, towards a satisfactory life. Starting May of , the US Government took a step towards making things right. As per the new rules, the H4 dependent spouses are allowed to apply for I or Employment Authorization Card , which is a temporary work permit, as long as the principal H1B holder satisfies one of the conditions Ref.

h4 visa holder can work at home

The Act permits H-1B non-immigrants seeking lawful permanent residence to work and remain in the United States beyond the six-year limit on their H-1B status. There are a lot of Sections and clauses, here, that require a lobotomy to understand. But for now you can go for these brief explanations. The first one allows EAD application by H4 spouses of those H1B individuals who are going green, if you will. That means a PERM labor certification has been filed already and an I has been approved.

The second are for spouses of those H1B holders who have already applied for permanent residence and are now on H1B extension beyond the first 6 years. While it really helps the spouses of all the workers who are on their way to the Hulk card, it still ignores the many others whose spouses are simply on H1B and nowhere near a permanent residence application. But it is at least a bone.

It is possible, though difficult, that you find an employer who can sponsor your H1B. The only problem with this is that it is a hard enough economy to find an employer, let alone find one who will be willing to sponsor your H1B. To make matters worse, you cannot be seen, heard or even thought to be working for them until your H1B is approved. Nonetheless, there are many well qualified dependents who could possess a skill very dear to some company.

Like Apple will probably offer you a job if you possess the technical expertize to design a camera that screams at people who pout on selfies. They might even send a basket of edible arrangements with half eaten apples along with an H1B. It is possible to get into a degree program while in H4.

OPT just makes the transition, from a student F1 to an H1B employee, less dramatic. Companies can employ someone in F1-OPT and have a good one year to process their H1B. While in H4, you can choose a program that can train you with a job skill. You can then apply for an EAD as your H1B partner becomes eligible for a green card application I approved.

Totally twisted like jalebi. But just like one, the end result may be delicious after all. Or you can apply for H1B sponsor able companies directly. But good luck on that! This is the most straightforward path to a job.

Say you know the University and the program you want to pursue. You can start studying, under your valid H4 status and make sure you satisfy certain conditions for a change of status to an F1 or J1. A change of status differs from a visa. To know what each means, please talk to the office of International students, at your University, follow the USCIS page and make sure you have said all your prayers.

So, here are the conditions. Talk to the experts before you take any step. Basically just camp outside the University International Office to save on commute! You can then obtain a job and get your H1B sponsored. Just make sure your job matches your field of study. You can even explore other visa categories for a change of status. There are the J1 and O1, each of which will claim a kidney and a limb!

A change of status to J1 may require you to consider the possibility of applying for a waiver from going back to your home country for two years. Just remember that any change requires the undesirable possibility of administrative complications. If any of your visa requests happens to get rejected, your stay in the US may get jeopardized. The Indian economy is booming, as we all know and there is now a surge of people returning back home Read Why NRIs are returning?

Women are finding ways to explore the balance of family demands and active professions Read Balancing Motherhood vs Career and people are even looking at innovative measures towards financial independence from home Read Jobs for stay-at-home Moms and Dads. Not to mention the limits that Indian women have crossed to be involved in some of the most challenging professions in this country Read Best jobs for women- A few or limitless?

Maybe it is worth to consider the repercussions of a life without financial independence that dependents, most of whom are women, are facing everyday in the US. Maybe it is time to consider how loneliness and frustrations can possibly lead to more dangerous effects like depression. And maybe you consider the possibility of making a life back home in India Read NRI checklist to return home.

Instead of jumping around between F1, H4, J1 and all the visas that sound like chess notations, you and your spouse could always choose to come back home- you know the land where the only status anyone will care about is the one on your Facebook? In conclusion, life in the US is not easy. Especially not if you are left at the mercy of an individual who holds the key to your existence and a system which prevents you from being free.

The price of living as an NRI should not come at the cost of your self. A very well written post! I am currently in the US. As my husband got offered a decent job in India most recently, I feel like I am totally lost. I always wanted to explore the US more in terms of job and everything else.

That is why I took up a grad course and I feel great about the subject I am studying. Although I will finish the course before leaving for India, I fear I will always have this regret of not being able to even job search here.

I took this course as neither me nor my hubby could imagine that we might have to move out so soon! It might not be a rosy picture but I did want to try search jobs in the US. He is still a researcher in US and for him this is the best thing that could have happened. I am also having terrible thoughts about how I will be able to adjust back to the previous state of affairs which I left for almost 5yrs.

I am just too messed up with all these thoughts right now. What do you think? I am glad you liked the post.

I understand your anxiety but as I see it, you could do one of two things. You could try to link to people with similar educational background in India and try to network your way through to a job.

Else stay back and find a job. But finding a job might get trickier with the changing environment in the US. There are quite a few people who are going through a similar struggle. You should be just fine.

Good luck with whatever you decide and let us know when something great shapes up! Dear Rakhi, I am a distraught mother whose daughter has gone to the US on an H4 visa, being married to a person who is on an H1B visa. It seems that the boy in question has proved to be a demon in disguise, harassing and subjugating my daughter verbally and mentally, albeit not physically.

Please tell me, what rights my daughter does have, in case the boy tries to divorce her or get a separation from her in the US Courts. I have an eerie feeling, that the boy and his parents are planning something terrible against her. My daughter is a Post Graduate in Humanities from a premier Indian University. Unfortunately I am not qualified to provide you with information that could be legally useful.

However, my suggestion would be that she seeks help from friends or a social support group. Meanwhile , for further information on her rights and options she should speak with a legal expert. You can also speak with a legal expert, in India, to know what options are available to her in the US. Hope things get better for your family.

I am a student under F1 visa studying Masters in the US. If I plan to get married sooner or later, will my H4 spouse be able to work in anyway? Can she drive an Uber or do freelancing at home? What about opening a bank acount? Can she do that? You can verify this with your school international office. They have experts who can guide you. Hi, I am on H1B Visa. My son and my wife are on H4 dependent visa which means both of them cannot work in the United States.

My son is in 9th Grade and in about 3 years, he will be entering college.

H4 visas

I know that he can volunteer and have unpaid internships but is there anyway he can earn some money and save up to his college? Or, better yet, Is there anyway other than converting to H1B, Can my wife work here to earn extra money?

Hope to hear from you.. I believe, by its very nature, an H4 visa prevents anyone from making money. However, if your son gets into college, he might have to convert to another status. In which case he will be eligible to work on an F1. Hi Rakhi, thanks for writing the wonderful post on careers in the US.

My husband lives on his H1B in the US. I am planning to join him in the US by next year, Could you please advise if I can expect Universities to apply for my own H1B visa?

My husband is going to change his employer soon and therefore, he says he cannot obtain an I for me to work there. Please advise it will be of a great help. You can try getting into a Post Doctoral position, in the US. As long as you can find a University, and faculty, to fund your research, you should be able to apply through natural means. Either way, the best way to go about it would be to start applying to the Universities.

Hi Rakhi, My husband will be coming to USA on H4. Is there any way where he can work in software industry? He has very good experience and intelligence in product development. If he is on an H4, unfortunately, he will have to go through some hoops to either get a work permit, like described above or stay as a dependent. Many talented people are cornered by these laws. Hello Rakhi, Thanks for such an informative article on H4 visas. I am too an H4 visa holder and have come to US with my husband.

I got married when pursuing my MBA hence have zero work experience. Since studying is a good option I was thinking of entering into some program but am confused as to what I must do and from which university.

Can you give me guidance on this topic? However, there is a lot of information available online for you to research degree vs employment opportunities.

You can scour MBA Crystal Ball. I m under H4 visa and have 5 years of work experience. With a BTech Degree and MTech degree. I am not really happy sitting at home idle. Can you guide me in this matter? How I can get job in US Chicago? Your email address will not be published.

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Read how you can use Careerizma for self branding. Best ways H4 dependent visa holders can work in the USA By Rakhi Acharyya on December 20, What makes, being an H4 dependent spouse, especially difficult? All I need is a miracle, all I need is H1B It is possible, though difficult, that you find an employer who can sponsor your H1B. Ode to a degree in H4 It is possible to get into a degree program while in H4.

Stairway to H1B, through F1 or J1 visa This is the most straightforward path to a job. That your spouse has a valid H1B.

You have a valid approved I from your University and a I SEVIS receipt. It is strongly recommended that you speak with the International Office of your University before you set sail. And it is most definitely recommended that you come back to India, to get it stamped, if you really want to get it stamped outside of the US.

If it is some country other than India, you better talk to the US consulate in that country before you go. There are travel restrictions that you must keep in mind.

Working while on F1 requires you to have an F1 Visa stamped for in-campus jobs. Country roads could take you home This final solution is always at your disposal. Meanwhile, here are a few helpful links to get your hands on useful Visa information. Wondering if you need a career change? Find out with this Free Online Career Assessment Test. Rakhi Acharyya Rakhi is a freelance writer, a Physics PhD from Michigan State University, an ex-teacher and a former employee of Corporate America.

Follow her on Twitter. February 19, at 6: February 22, at 3: February 25, at March 3, at 7: March 3, at 8: March 17, at March 30, at March 20, at 5: March 25, at March 25, at 4: March 29, at 1: April 17, at 2: May 5, at 2: April 26, at 8: May 23, at 5: Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.

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