Tens of thousands of Indian children living in the US with an H-4 visa who are now approaching their 21st birthday are facing a significant existential dilemma. They had migrated to the US along with their parents who held H1-B work visas. They had been issued H-4 visas as their parents who held H1-B visas could bring their children along.
With Donlad Trump's crackdown on illegal immigrants, several thousands of Indians are in the grip of fear of deportation. Children of H1-B visa holders who migrated as minors under the H-4 visa are now uncertain about their stay in the US after turning 21.
These Indian young people now have two optons: either face the possibility of being forced to "self-deport" to India, a country they may have little connection with, or remaining in the U.S. as “outsiders.” Around 1,34,000 Indian children are expected to age out of their dependent visa status before their families secure green cards.
An H-4 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows dependents of certain nonimmigrant workers to live in the United States. It's issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Those eligible for the H-4 visas include: the spouses of H-1B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, or H-3 visa holders; and, the unmarried children (under 21 years of age) of H-1B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, or H-3 visa holders.
As per the current immigration laws in the US, H-4 visa holders will no longer qualify as dependents of H1-B visa holders after the age of 21. Such visa holders have two years to transition to another visa status after ‘ageing out,’ however, the changes in the immigration policy under the Donald Trump administration cast doubt among immigrants.
Nearly 1.34 lakh Indian children will most likely age out of dependent visa status soon. These visa holders fear that they will have to self-deport to India or live as outsiders in the US. Some are exploring migrating to other countries with relatively flexible immigration policies such as Canada or the UK.
Self-deportation differs from forced deportation, where the government sends back such immigrants to their home country. People opt for self-deportation when they feel the need to leave a country to avoid legal issues.
In January, a Texas court blocked work permits for new applicants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, raising uncertainty over the future of H-4 visa holders. DACA programme gives temporary, renewable two-year protection from deportation for unregistered youth.
Earlier this year, US Senator Bernie Sanders called out the H-1B programme, saying that it mainly benefits corporations that hire foreign workers at lower wages rather than recruiting Americans. Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the head of DOGE head, claims the H-1B programme is important due to a shortage of highly skilled workers in the US.
Recently, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the registration dates for H-1B visas for fiscal year 2026. The registration process will begin on March 7 and end on March 24. The cap for H-1B visas remains at 65,000 visas each year and an additional 20,000 visas for master's degrees in the US.
