Government Settles Suit Over Foreign Spouse Work Permit Delays

A group of spouses of temporary visa holders who brought a proposed class action over prolonged wait times for work permits has settled with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

As part of the deal, announced by attorneys for the plaintiffs Friday, USCIS agreed to process applications to extend foreign spouses’ visas and work permits as a “bundle” with a primary petition for a nonimmigrant worker. The agreement will be in place for the next two years.

The spouses of H-1B specialty occupation workers and L intracompany transferees are eligible for work authorization in the US. But those applicants—mostly Indian women ...