ian-mstm

It's the law. Your understanding is not required.

Ian

h4_optimist

So was slave trade in the 19th century!I wonder what comment would have been posted here if this forum was present during that time..

American Politicians comment and admonish against the discrimination against women in every other part of the world, while the basic human right of financial independence is denied to minority of women in this country, discriminating them based on their spouses' visa.

Leyther

Discrimination please!

It is not just women who are here in the United States on derivative H-4 visas

ian-mstm

Then the spouse should have gotten a better visa! I don't blame the system... I blame the idiot spouse who managed to talk the dependent spouse into coming to the US *knowing* in advance that the DP would not be able to work! And the strangest thing is... the DP usually goes!

... and then complains about it!

Ian

ian-mstm

You should really look up the definition of "financial independence"... you might be surprised by what you find. I don't believe it is a basic human right, regardless of how much you want it to be.

Ian

h4_optimist

Yes! We admit that we made a mistake and will be correcting it at the earliest, but that does not make the system any glorious! At least in our case, my spouse didnt talk me into this, nor did i come with any illusion that this system is doing a great job and I wasnt primarily here to be in this visa. But by our fate,we were forced to take this choice for a while, and by that way I was able to realize the hardship faced by so many women in this country!

How much ever people talk, it is a discrimination in this 21st century and nothing to be proud of by treating people like this, and it is not possible to cover it up with any smart words.

I do not know how much you know about the H4 dependent visa. But they are not only allowed to work, they are not even allowed to generate income by self employment or are allowed to work for any employer in their home country. So many restrictions when the same right is granted to the dependents of many other visa. If it is not the BASIC RIGHT, why that luxury is granted to so many other dependent visas, whose spouses are also here to grab the American jobs! That is because some people with big cash and influence, has talked to the government to acquire them for certain type of visa and completely forget about others.

h4_optimist

Even if you believe it or not, It is a basic right!

Please hear the words from the USCIS website itself, while they made a new rule for certain set of dependent in this country:

This final rule recognizes the importance to United States families of the freedom to work "on the economy" abroad. This regulation attempts to alleviate the stresses on military family life occasioned by the high cost of living in some countries where United States personnel are stationed and the limited number of jobs available on United States bases abroad, coupled with household moves every few years which disrupt a dependent's career and which are exacerbated if a dependent is barred from employment overseas.

This happened back in 1999, for NATO visa holders. Later in 2002, the work authorization was granted to many other dependent visa type even without an explanation!

So it is not like the government, is not aware about the importance of freedom to work. But they chose to show discrimination based on the visa type.

I know it is not the reflection of the entire country, and we have made many friends in the United States, who respect family values and have accepted us as their extended family even when we are far away from home. But unfortunately, the immigration system still needs a lot of reform. My sister and family are American citizens, and I too do not want my niece to be out of job when she grow up. I believe that less number of visas should be given to foreign people, if the demand is less. But at the same time, whoever comes to this country should be treated with compassion and the family values should be respected.

Noorah101

That's because self-employment is still a form of employment.

Are you sure about this one?? I'm pretty sure having an H4 in your possession does NOT mean you can't remain in your home country and work for an employer there.

Rene

dbj1000

Wow, and I though we were melodramatic when my wife was on an H4!

I can certainly see why anyone on an H4 visa gets upset after a while. It sucks being unable to work.

I also think that Ian is being even more of a Sanctimonious Prick(tm) than usual, and it's always the subject of H4 visas that gets him particularly vitriolic.

The fact is, Ian, that many people find themselves in a situation where one partner gets offered an H1-B, and the opportunity seems too good to pass up. Being told that the trailing spouse won't be able to work for "some period of time" doesn't ring the alarm bells that it should. Particularly when so many immigration lawyers seem so keen to minimize or even omit the fact that it's damned near impossible to adjust from an H1-B to Permanent Residency right now.

Once a couple is over here, and the reality of the situation starts to sink in, it's quite understandable that the trailing spouse will feel upset with the system.

And h4_optimist has a point about the fact that trailing spouses of other visa holders get to work over here.

Having said all that, h4_optimist's line about "discrimination" and "human rights" is utter melodramatic bollocks. The fact is that America doesn't really want H1-B visas at all. They're a necessity, due to the lack of skilled US workers in many fields, and as such are about as welcome as the equally necessary illegal immigrants in the unskilled jobs.

h4_optimist

Yes there was a lil melodrama... bound to happen after being stuck at home for a while... The only thing we didnt know before coming here was that, H1-B visa holders are also treated like illegal immigrants in this country.

h4_optimist

Being an IT professional, I had few options of working from home remotely in the United States for employers back home till I acquire an H1B and join their firm in the United States. Later we clarified that this is also not allowed in H4 dependent visa. Unfortunately I lost the H1B lottery last year as the cap was met on the very first day! This year also I am not keeping any high hopes. If I do not get H1B this year, it will be a wait for another 2.5 years before I can apply and use the next H1B quota. I do not want to think of green card at this point which is easily taking average 3-5 years.

I decided to sacrifice my career for 6 months, till I get my H1B, and declined my L1 visa offered by my previous employer-Fidelity Investments, which would have required me to be in Boston.Since we were mostly away due to travel involved in our projects, we badly wanted to be in the same place. So I put the best step forward, and compromised to be in New York area where my husband is working.

Now I know we made a great mistake by patronizing the h1B and ditching the L1 visa.. Now I cannot go back and take L1, as I royally resigned my position in Fidelity before travelling!

To some extent I deserve ian-mstm's comment that I was an idiot for letting an opportunity go away from my hand!

But that will not stop me from bitching about the system which badly needs a change!

ian-mstm

Well... I can see we will have to agree to disagree on this. There is nothing to cover up. You make it sound as though the US hides the fact that H4s can't work when, in fact, that information is freely available to those who want to do the research. People, for whatever reason, make the choice to accept an H4 visa.

Ian

ian-mstm

I don't know if I'm any more or less vitriolic about H4 visas than other things (about which I am, apparently, also vitriolic)! It's just that this was a choice she made. Yes, she doesn't have to like the decision that was made, and there are probably regrets because of it, but she *did* have a choice.


Alas, sad but true!

Ian

ian-mstm

I'm also an IT professional.


Well... I could have expressed myself a bit less harshly!


I agree, the system needs a change. By and large, we here are the peanut gallery (aka choir)... try bitching to Congress. It's the only way a change will happen.

Ian

fatbrit

I don't understand why you need to find logic and reasoning in US immigration law and policy. It's the path to madness...