US H-4, L-2 visa holders to get automatic work permit renewal for 540 days| How Indians will benefit

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced automatic extension of the work permit renewal period for H-4 and L-2 visa holders, from 180 days to up to 540 days.

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The change, effective January 13, 2025, is expected to benefit many, particularly Indian nationals, who make up a significant portion of these visa categories.

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The updated rule applies to Employment Authorization Document (EAD) renewal applications that were either pending or filed on or after May 4, 2022.

In an official release, DHS said that the final rule will continue to help prevent eligible renewal EAD applicants from experiencing a lapse in employment authorisation and/or the validity of their EAD due to lengthy processing times.

Earlier in December, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it received sufficient petitions to meet the congressionally mandated limits for H-1B visas for fiscal year (FY) 2025. The agency confirmed meeting the 65,000-visa regular cap and the 20,000-visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap.

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In a post on X, USCIS stated, “We have received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa master's cap for FY 2025. We will be sending non-selection notices over the next few days.”

Highlighting the purpose of the H-1B program, the USCIS noted that US businesses use it to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. The agency encouraged petitioners to subscribe to updates on the H-1B cap season via the H-1B Cap Season webpage.

(With inputs from agencies)