01-15-2007, 08:30 AM
A recent memo by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has brought a little cheer this holiday season to spouses of temporary workers in the United States.
The memo, dated December 5 2006, clarifies that the time spent as a dependent (on an H-4 or L-2 visa) of an H1B or L-1 visa holder will not count against the maximum allowable period of admission for H1B or L-1 workers. Instead, if the dependent gets an H1B or L-1 visa, he or she can work for six years.
"Everybody is happy about it," says immigration attorney Allen E Kaye.
He offers an example. Let's say a woman stays in the US as a dependent with her husband for five years, and wants to get a work permit. Earlier, she would have been allowed to work only for a year. "But now, you get six years because your H-4 time doesn't count," he says.
The memo, dated December 5 2006, clarifies that the time spent as a dependent (on an H-4 or L-2 visa) of an H1B or L-1 visa holder will not count against the maximum allowable period of admission for H1B or L-1 workers. Instead, if the dependent gets an H1B or L-1 visa, he or she can work for six years.
"Everybody is happy about it," says immigration attorney Allen E Kaye.
He offers an example. Let's say a woman stays in the US as a dependent with her husband for five years, and wants to get a work permit. Earlier, she would have been allowed to work only for a year. "But now, you get six years because your H-4 time doesn't count," he says.