According to a new report by Congress on the spouse US visa, of the total number of people holding H-4 US visas in the US, 93% come from India. More than a fifth of the immigrants holding the H-4 US visas are based in California.
93% of the applications granted for employment authorization in the US went to women, with 7% being to men, the report from the US Congress’ independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) on H-4 US visas revealed. The CRS prepares periodical reports on issues that could interest the nation’s lawmakers. The nine-page report also confirmed that 5% of H-4 US visas went to China, with the remaining 2% of applications made up by immigrants from other nations.
126,853 employment authorization applications for holders of H-4 US visas were approved as of Christmas Day last year, a figure that includes all the approvals granted since the implementation of the rule in May 2015, and includes 35,219 renewals, 688 lost card replacements, and 90,946 new approvals. There are no legal geographical restraints on the holders of H-4 US visas, and approvals have been given to individuals in every state in the US, as well as US territories and the District of Columbia.
28,033 of the issued visas, over a fifth of the total, went to California, with another 20% accounted for by New Jersey and Texas together. Holders of H-4 US visas were not allowed to work in the US before 2015.