H-1B, L-1 visa spouses: US to renew work permits automatically from January

Good news for spouses of H-1B and L-1 visa holders. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an automatic extension of the work permit renewal period for H-4 and L-2 visa holders, increasing it from 180 days to up to 540 days. This change is expected to benefit many, particularly Indians, who represent a large portion of these visa categories.

The updated rule, effective from January 13, 2025, applies to Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) renewal applications that were either pending or filed on or after May 4, 2022.