Thousands of Indian children who moved to the US on H-4 visas are now facing an uncertain future as they turn 21. Under current US laws, they will no longer be considered dependents of their H-1B visa-holder parents. Previously, they had two years to transition to another visa, but recent policy changes have made this difficult.
Many are now looking at other countries like Canada or the UK, which offer more flexible immigration policies. The backlog in the US green card system has hit Indian immigrants the hardest, with waiting times ranging from 12 to 100 years.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the H-1B visa registration for fiscal year 2026, running from March 7 to March 24. The visa cap remains at 65,000, with an additional 20,000 for those with US master’s degrees. A new selection process aims to reduce fraud, and the registration fee is now $215.
Meanwhile, US Senator Bernie Sanders has criticized the H-1B program, saying it mainly benefits corporations by hiring lower-paid foreign workers instead of Americans. He has proposed doubling visa fees to fund scholarships and raising wages for H-1B workers.
Comments