{"id":524,"date":"2020-03-25T13:20:54","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T18:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu.master-7rqtwti-ytf57z7frat4e.us-2.platformsh.site\/isss\/?page_id=524"},"modified":"2026-01-28T09:30:47","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T15:30:47","slug":"spouses-and-children","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/employees-visitors\/h-1b-scholars\/spouses-and-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Spouses and children"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">H-4 dependents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An H-4 dependent is defined as a spouse or unmarried, minor child of an H-1B scholar. These dependents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>May enter the U.S. along with or after the H-1B scholar, but never before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>May not accept employment in most cases (see exception below).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>May be admitted to school and attend classes as a full-time or part-time student.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>May have a long-term intent to immigrate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Employment authorization for some H-4 spouses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some H-4 spouses (not dependent children) are eligible to apply for work authorization if the H-1B scholar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is the primary beneficiary of an approved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/i-140\">Form I-140 Immigration Petition for Alien Worker<\/a>; or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has been granted an extension of H-1B status beyond the standard six-year limit based on pending, employment-based permanent residence under the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Act, which permits H-1B workers seeking employment-based lawful permanent residence to work and remain in the United States.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Spouses who are currently in H-4 status and meet the above eligibility criteria may file <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/i-765\">Form I-765<\/a> with supporting documents. Individuals in H-4 status can start employment only when USCIS approves the application. Before submitting an application, review the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/working-united-states\/temporary-workers\/employment-authorization-certain-h-4-dependent-spouses\">USCIS information about H-4 employment authorization<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>H-4 dependents An H-4 dependent is defined as a spouse or unmarried, minor child of an H-1B scholar. These dependents: Employment authorization for some H-4 spouses Some H-4 spouses (not dependent children) are eligible to apply for work authorization if the H-1B scholar: Spouses who are currently in H-4 status and meet the above eligibility [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":114,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-524","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=524"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3290,"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524\/revisions\/3290"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/international.missouri.edu\/isss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}