On An H4 Visa? Feeling Jobless And Frustrated? Here Is What You Can Do

Being on an H4 visa can be a frustrating time for women who follow their husbands there, a feeling of being jobless and worthless. Here is what you can do.

Wives who go to the US with their husbands on an H4 are not eligible to work. They often get depressed sitting at home far away from loved ones. It is a tough decision for them to leave their high paid jobs and join their husbands on a dependent visa. Loneliness and no work leads to frustration and depression.

There are many options for these ladies to stay busy and focused. This helps a lot, when you have time on your hands, or are mostly home with your children.

I have tried my best to list out most of the options usually followed by ladies.

Upgrade yourself

Do some Certification course which will give weightage to your resume – look up the Community Colleges.

Pursue a Masters, there are many universities offering masters programs with scholarship .

Take up an online course of your choice like photography, baking, etc.

Register for free courses available at the library and other places of interest.

If you do not know driving then enroll in a driving class, so that you can become independent.

Brush up your cookery skills, become a Masterchef in it by trying out various cuisines, preparing healthy and tasty food for your family.

Join some music classes, yoga classes, gym.

Volunteer and make use of what you know

Look out for some voluntary programs like helping elders, voluntary service in temple, preparing food as prasad, help in cleaning the temple premises, take up administrative work at the temple.

Join the local community and be a volunteer in organizing cultural programs.

Volunteer in kids’ school programmes.

Have some fun

Sign up with local library and get some interesting stuff to read.

Join the book reading club at the library.

Have fun shopping for the home, for yourself .

Enjoy watching movies of your choice, movies you missed last time due to your hectic schedule. have some family time with movies.

Organize your sweet home in your style.

Enjoy your ‘me ‘ time, analyse yourself, your strengths etc.

Start blogging. Identify your passions and interests and start blogging about it.

Do some interesting DIY (do it yourself)  arts and crafts.

Build up a network

Start up a welcome group in your community and organize WELCOME get togethers for new members in the group. This helps in more interaction between members and helps the new members learn more about the place.

Build up a good friend circle of all H4 ladies, share your interests and passions with each other.

Arrange potlucks once in a while with your friends and family.

Arrange dances for kids during special events organized by your society.

Arrange play dates with other children at one another’s homes. This way kids can have fun time at different places, moms can have some me-time, and also their gossip sessions.

Join a Facebook community and arrange for regular meetups. Fun way to meet people around you.

Cooking for others, for get togethers and social gatherings.

Family time

Spend some quality time with family, family outings, vacations etc.

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Hmmm… I know these cannot compensate for being on an ‘H1 tag’, ‘independent, working’ status.

But till the time you get your H1 tag, enjoy the brighter and lighter side of H4. Enjoy, have fun ladies!

Published here earlier.

Image source: shutterstock.

Shilpa Arya

I am a stay at home mom of a 3 yr old girl, I have

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