The H4 visa is for immediate family members of H visa holders who live in the United States with their spouse or parent. Immediate family members include the spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21 of the principal applicant or visa holder. Getting health insurance for H4 visa holders helps manage healthcare costs if someone gets sick or has an accident. Although it is not mandatory, most U.S. citizens still have health insurance, simply because the cost of health care in the United States is very high and people with average incomes cannot afford to pay out of pocket. You can read more about the H4 visa interview and interview questions in our comprehensive guide. When a parent or spouse obtains their U.S. work visa, many families dread the idea of having to live separately from the visa holder. Many H1 visa holders want to stay with their children or spouses, and often these dependent family members (spouses and children under 21) rely on the H1 visa holder to support them financially.

Unlike most other visas, there is no limit to the number of H4 visas issued, and since 2015, H4 visa holders can also work legally in the United States. Once you`ve received your EAD, you`ll enjoy the freedom to work in any function you want, whether it`s full-time, part-time, or even for multiple employers at the same time, just like your H-1B spouse. However, unlike your spouse, USCIS allows you to work for any employer and not limit your sponsor. Feel free to switch between jobs without compromising your H-4 visa status. With so much driving during the H4 visa interview, knowing the interview questions ahead of time can help you prepare for this very important step. It all depends on the nature of your case and the areas the immigration officer wants to cover. Expect the officer to ask you for details about your relationship with the primary H visa holder. They want to exclude any possibility of illegitimate relationship in order to obtain a visa. The occupation with H4 visas was an important announcement by President Obama. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to increase the country`s economic stability by allowing parents and H4 spouse of H1 visa holders to work, and H1 visa holders can extend their stay. Donald Trump`s administration has also encouraged foreign professionals to work in the United States alongside their H1 visa holders.

After applying online and submitting your documents, you must attend the visa interview. During the interview, interviewers will attempt to determine if your relationship with the H visa holder is genuine. The most common H4 visa interview questions also include those related to your intention to travel to the United States. Interviewers will ask you what you will be doing in the U.S. and if you intend to engage in illegal activities. Prepare for the interview by clearly defining the reasons for your departure and being prepared to answer questions about your spouse or parent. Your interview and application will determine whether or not you will receive the H4 visa. It`s usually faster if you can get an appointment for the H-4 visa stamp at your home country`s consulate, as you eliminate USCIS processing delays. In addition, you can enter the United States with the H-4 visa stamp in your passport without necessarily needing a notice of approval from USCIS.

Because of the work permit, the H4 visa holder enjoys a variety of new benefits and privileges: your husband can apply for an H-4 visa while you apply for an H-listed visa, or at a later date to follow you to the United States. Children over the age of 21 are not eligible to apply for the H4 visa, but they may still be able to enter the United States through another immigration route. For example, they may be able to apply for a student visa. They can also apply to visit their parents on a visitor visa. This allows an adult child to stay in the United States for a period of 6 months. Before applying for an H4 visa, each applicant – including children – must complete Form DS 160. You must complete and submit the form prior to your scheduled interview at the consulate or embassy. Here we have compiled this guide with all the information you need to know about the H4 visa and how to apply for the visa. We have also included information about the current status of the H4 visa and some changes that may be made to the visa in the near future.

What is generally faster to get an H-4 visa stamp in the United States? Consulate or H-4 status change? Since May 26, 2015, some H4 visa holders were allowed to work in the United States. To work, an H4 visa holder must first apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and be approved. Additional requirements are: It is possible that the H4 visa may be refused. Some common reasons include: Once you submit Form DS-160, schedule an interview appointment with the U.S. Embassy where you will apply for the H4 visa. The sooner you schedule your interview, the sooner you will complete the entire H4 visa application. When you schedule your interview, you will receive a confirmation letter that you should save for later. H4 visa holders can apply for a change of status. For example, if you find an employer willing to sponsor your visa, you can apply for the type of visa you are eligible for. For example, if you get a temporary non-farm job, you can apply for a change of status for an H-2B visa.

The visa fee for the H4 visa is 190 USD, or about INR 11,000. This amount must be paid for the visa before scheduling the interview. Payment can be made electronically via debit cards via NEFT or IMPS transactions or cash payments at Citi Bank or Axis Bank ATMs. Visa fees can also be paid to DRUK Bank. Visa fees paid are non-refundable. A better way to get a green card is to change the status to an H-1B visa and then apply for the green card. Your green card can be processed faster and you won`t have to wait too long. During your H4 visa interview, you will be asked a number of questions, including regarding your marital status and/or dependence on the primary visa holder.

With so much going on this interview, it`s important to be prepared. In this guide, we explain what the H4 visa is, what it allows and who is eligible, how to apply, with the associated costs and processing times. When you apply for the H4 visa, you must submit your spouse or parent`s Form I-797. This form shows the validity dates of your spouse`s or parent`s visa. Based on this, the U.S. Embassy will also issue you a visa with the same validity as your spouse`s or parents` visa. Unfortunately, while premium processing is sometimes helpful in expediting the H-1B application, applicants cannot use it to speed up H-4 visa processing time. Fortunately, dependent family members on an H4 visa can join the H1 visa holder during their stay in the United States. By applying for the H4 visa, these family members receive a temporary stay in the United States, while the family member holding the H1 visa works in the United States. For those already in the United States, changing their status from non-immigrant to the H4 classification can take up to several months. However, provided that an application is submitted before an existing legal status expires, the H4 visa applicant may remain in the United States until the result is obtained.

Essentially, this legislation states that the work permit is “incident to status,” meaning that the work permit is directly related to its H-4 status and results from it. H-4 visa holders would not need to apply for a separate work permit document and could work regardless of their H-1B spouses` progress toward obtaining a green card. This would help reduce USCIS` significant backlogs and protect H-4 visa holders from losing their work permits due to processing delays. The work permit for the H-4 visa is valid as long as your H-4 status is valid. Note that the validity of H-4 status depends on the primary holder of the H1B visa. If you have reached the end of your H-4 EAD validity period, you can only renew it if your spouse has an approved I-140.