Some H-4 Visa Holders to Receive Employment Authorization

USCIS has announced that it will extend employment authorization to some non-immigrants in H-4 visa status. This is very welcome news for spouses of some H-1B visa holders.

Beginning May 26, 2015, some H-4 visa holders will be granted employment authorization. To qualify, the H-4 visa holder must be married to an H-1B visa holder. In addition, the H-1B visa holder must either be the beneficiary of an approved Form I-140 visa petition, or they must be the beneficiary of a labor certification that has been pending for more than one year.

While this program was discussed as President Obama’s executive action announcement, this regulation was proposed in May 2014.

USCIS estimates that up to 179,600 people may benefit from this program in the first year and approximately 55,000 will benefit each year following.

Bryon M. Large

Recent Posts

ALERTA DE VIAJE: AUMENTO DE OPERATIVOS DE ICE EN VUELOS DOMÉSTICOS

ENGLISH Una vez más, varias personas están reportando un aumento en la actividad de ICE…

2 weeks ago

TRAVEL ALERT: INCREASED ICE ENFORCEMENT ON DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

Español Once again, individuals are reporting increased ICE activity at airports around the country, including…

2 weeks ago

Goodbye “Duration of Status (D/S)”: DHS Overhaul of F-1 and J-1 Admission Procedures

On July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule establishing…

3 weeks ago

H-1B Cap Reached for Fiscal Year 2027

On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it has received enough…

3 weeks ago

State Department “Enhanced Review” of Social Media for Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants

In July 2025, the Department of State announced it would complete “enhanced vetting” of F,…

4 weeks ago

Memorándum de política del USCIS sobre el ajuste de estatus: no etres en pánico (todavía)

ENGLISH El 21 de mayo de 2026, el Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de los…

3 months ago