Relief For H-1B Workers Stuck In India

One of Indian techie recently got his H-1B visa approved within 2-weeks of applying in a US Consulate in India and another got her H-4 visa approved after being away from her husband since January this year.

The anxiety among the NRI community is waning as US consulates in India starting to process visas on an emergency basis. In India, the US has consulates in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Kolkata. Many of them have been stuck here because of pandemic and the visa ban announced on June 22.

This relief came after a new set of guidelines were issued by the US Department of State, allowing H-1B workers and their dependents entry into the US under certain conditions.

Conditions are that they are allowed entry if they are joining their previous company/employer before the ban or if they want to work in critical areas such as healthcare. It also allowed the entry of such H-1B dependents into the US.

Things are not better for the techie in the US. In fact, it is worse due to COVID-19.

Those who have got their H-4 EAD approved would now be able to work as per the new guideline; many who are awaiting approval might have to wait at least a year. This means they could still lose their jobs or the right to stay in the US. According to the USCIS, the processing time to get an EAD approved is 14-18 months for an H-4 dependent.

All these are impacting the mental and financial well-being of Indians in the US, many of whom have already lost their jobs.