Wives of thousands of skilled professionals from India and other countries in the US on H-1B and other temporary work visas are increasingly frustrated because they were not allowed to work, a report said on Monday.
Nearly half a million H-1B visas have been issued in the last four years and about 300,000 visas have been issued for the professionals' dependents, who cannot work, according to a front-page report in The Washington Post.
"Having a trailing spouse in today's day and age is not dealt with," said Immigrtion lawyer Elizabeth Espin Stern of Baker and McKenzie LLP.
"We have neglected these individuals and their families. It is an arrogant stance and an insensitive one," the daily quoted her as saying.
The backlog of applications for green cards or permanent residence visas which are the gateway to citizenship and which allow holders to work is now 300,000.
A typical case is that of Hanuma Samavedam, living in the Greater Washington area. She came to the US after marrying her husband who is on H-1B.
She has an MBA degree and experience as a finance manager at an accounting firm in India. But here she cannot work unless and until her husband gets a green card or permanent visa.
Advocates of more restrictive immigration laws say extending work authorisation to dependents would take jobs away from Americans.
Christopher S Bentley, a spokesman for US Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Department of Homeland Security, said that he empathises with immigrant spouses but noted that they had entered the US knowing their status would be temporary and dependent.
"It is a choice they made," Bentley said.
The H-1B visas allow highly skilled professionals to work in the US for up to six years. H-4 visa allows dependents of H-1B visa holders to live in the US but they cannot work.
L visa allows key foreign executives to transfer to the US opertions of their companies while L-2 visa allows dependents of L visa holders to live in the US, who can also apply for work permits.
E visa allows people who work for companies that trade with the US or who have invested substantial sums in US ventures to work in the country for an extended period.
Dependents of E visa holders may apply for work authorisation.
Permanent resident card, also known as green card, allows foreign citizens and their families to live and work in the US, and paves the way for citizenship later if they choose to become citizens. But the process can be lengthy.
Last month, US immigration authorities announced they had exceeded green card quotas for India and China, probably adding years for the long wait for applicants from those countries.
Meanwhile, brides from India dazzled by the American salaries converted into Indian rupees are warned on another issue: Economists estimate that in major cities a family of three (husband, wife and child) needs to earn $47,000 to $62,000 a year to get by.
A skilled worker can earn that but not all skilled workers, whose income needs to be supplemented by the wife's income to live a normal middle class life in America.