H-1B spouses

I am afraid the write-up “For Indian women in America, a sea of broken dreams” (July 29) is an exaggeration. Recession in the U.S. is a fact. Many women who went to the U.S. on H-4 visa got an H1-B visa after they found a job. Many H1-B couples have got their green cards and become citizens too.

Agreed, the situation is not very encouraging now as the U.S. authorities do not readily forward applications for the green card. But the gripe that Indian women travelling on H-4 visas are financially dependent on their husbands applies to millions across the world. It is important for young women to learn about the conditions of Indian housewives in the U.S. before they okay marriage proposals from men working there.

I.S. Kanthimathinathan,

Tirunelveli

Many Indian women marry men with H-1B visas because marriage is a ticket to America for them and their family. They refuse to marry NRIs with an L-1 visa as it does not allow them to migrate. They also refuse to marry professionals based in India even if their earnings are more than the U.S.-based professionals. The American law does an excellent job of restricting the job opportunities of such ambitious women.

We can perhaps look at the broken dreams of thousands of India-based brides who cannot work even in India because of family or location issues?

C.P. Anandasubramanian,

Chennai

Social isolation and cumbersome procedures do not seem to discourage or reduce the determination of Indian women who still are prepared to migrate if given a chance. I don’t think it is wise to call into question the visa procedure followed by a sovereign nation as each country is compelled by its considerations which are reasonable according to its standards.

There are many stories of Indian women achieving success much to the envy of the jobless youth in the U.S. Those who complain do so to evoke sympathy from fellow citizens when things go wrong. Those who are well settled there often forget their motherland and assume pretentious qualities of being different from their own countrymen. I feel the experiences narrated by many of the so-called aggrieved women are exaggerated. The greed to earn more than what they can in India in relatively less time is what drives many Indian women to the U.S.

S.A. Thameemul Ansari,

Kayalpatnam

The U.S. immigration rules clearly say that H-4 visa holders cannot work. That is the reason they are not issued a social security card, which is the primary document when you apply for any kind of employment. During the visa interview, the applicants are made aware of this. They give the assurance that they will not make any attempt to seek employment in the U.S. Where, then, is the question of surprise or rude shock?

Ramachandran Kailasam,

Chennai