Short answer: Yes, but in certain situations. H-4 status is for spouses and unmarried children (child must be under 21 years old) of the principal H-1b visa holder. H-1b dependents are allowed to attend school, extend their status, and change status. However, when it comes to a work permit, H-4 dependents have to meet a higher benchmark. ​

​Today, December 4, 2017, the Supreme Court has allowed the third version of President Trump's travel ban to come back. Citizens of the eight countries listed (Iran, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela) are NOT allowed to travel to the United States, unless they qualify for an exception. Previously, in June 2017, the Supreme Court allowed the travel ban to come back, but in a limited way. The Court stated that an immigrant from one of the banned countries was required to have a personal or professional relationship in the United States, which was defined as a relationship with a qualifying family member in the United States or a professional relationship with a U.S. company or university. But now, such a qualifying relationship does NOT matter, as the Supreme Court has now ruled that the travel ban can be implemented to the FULLEST extent. ​

​The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this fall that in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order issued on March 6, 2017, all applicants that filed an I-140 (Immigration Petition for Alien Worker) will be required to attend an interview. ​

​HAPPY NEWS: Travel Ban 3.0 BLOCKED by Hawaii once again. This decision will likely be appealed. We have to wait to see what the Supreme Court does ultimately once it sets oral arguments. But, for now, GREAT news!

On September 24, 2017, President Trump issued a new travel ban…again. The newest travel ban is a “presidential proclamation” instead of an “executive order.” In practical terms, the title does not make a difference – it is still a travel ban that stops immigration from several Muslim-majority countries, with a few additional countries added. It is important to note that there is one particularly concerning detail in the new ban. 

​The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) is a law that allows undocumented immigrants that qualify to receive two-year work permits and to receive an exemption from deportation. President Obama created the immigration policy in 2012 to stall deportation efforts against immigrants that were brought to the United States as children. The concept behind the policy is that immigrant children should not face deportation consequences for their parents’ immigration actions.