H‑4 Visa Holders Urged to Begin Renewal Early

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has ended the 540‑day automatic extension for H‑4 Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs) filed after 30 October 2025, leaving many dependent visa holders at risk of employment gaps while their renewals are processed.

Previously, H‑4 spouses of H‑1B visa holders could continue working under the automatic extension while awaiting EAD renewal. With the policy change, applicants must wait for their new EAD approval before resuming employment. USCIS currently estimates a processing time of around five and a half months for H‑4 EAD applications.

Eligibility for the H‑4 EAD remains limited. Only spouses of H‑1B holders with an approved green card petition, or those whose H‑1B status has been extended beyond six years due to a pending petition, qualify. 

Children on H‑4 visas and spouses of H‑1B1, H‑2, or H‑3 visa holders are not eligible. Approved EADs are valid for a maximum of three years or the remaining H‑1B status, whichever is shorter.

The authorisation is dependent on the principal H‑1B holder’s employment. If the H‑1B worker loses their job, the H‑4 spouse may only continue working during the 60‑day grace period. Divorce or the revocation of a green card petition also ends eligibility.

Premium processing is not available for H‑4 or EAD applications. However, advisers note that filing the H‑1B extension with premium processing alongside H‑4 and EAD applications can help align processing timelines, though faster approval is not guaranteed.