Filing H-4 Status Change During a Shutdown: Will USCIS Accept

USCIS will keep accepting and processing change of status filings during a federal government shutdown, a point that matters for students and families eyeing a move from F-1 or another nonimmigrant status to H-4. As of October 1, 2025, officials confirm that the agency’s core casework continues because USCIS is primarily funded by filing fees rather than annual congressional appropriations. That means both online and mail-in submissions remain available, and adjudicators keep working through pending applications.

The most direct impact for would-be H-4 dependents is clear: you can file, and in most cases USCIS acceptance will not stop during a shutdown. Applicants should, however, expect slower response times from customer service channels and possible processing delays as certain support functions throttle back.

Timing and the key on-time filing rule

The central condition remains the same regardless of federal funding battles: your change of status request must reach USCIS while you are still in valid status.

• For a switch from F-1 to H-4, that timing rule is critical.
• If USCIS receives the filing on time, the agency will generally continue to review the application even if your current status expires afterward.
• This follow-through rests on agency discretion, but it reflects how USCIS treats on-time filings already in the queue.

In practice, this means students finishing a semester, spouses planning to join a principal H-1B worker’s household in H-4, or holders of other nonimmigrant categories can still take the needed step despite a funding lapse elsewhere in Washington.

Important: On-time filing is the anchor that keeps the case viable. USCIS’s willingness to continue adjudication after timely filing helps prevent risky gaps, but it does not replace the need to file before your status ends.

How a shutdown affects other agencies (and why that matters)

What changes during a shutdown is less about USCIS acceptance and more about other federal departments that play a role in employment-based immigration—chiefly the Department of Labor (DOL).

• The DOL pauses several immigration-related services when funding lapses, including:
  • Labor Condition Applications (LCAs)
  • PERM labor certification filings
  • Prevailing wage determinations

These DOL functions are essential for certain employer petitions, but they are not part of an H-4 status change. Because H-4 classification depends on the principal spouse or parent’s qualifying status and does not require DOL certification, the path from F-1 (or another nonimmigrant class) to H-4 is largely insulated from DOL’s shutdown posture.

• In other words, typical bottlenecks tied to LCAs or PERM do not block an H-4 change of status filing.

Practical effects applicants should expect

While USCIS intake continues, applicants should prepare for practical impacts:

• Customer service slowdown:
  • Call centers may take longer to answer.
  • Non-urgent requests can sit in a queue.
  • Receipt notices and case updates continue but may feel uneven.
• Online and mail systems remain operational:
  • Lockbox facilities accept paper filings.
  • Online filing tools stay active and generally provide quicker confirmations.
• Possible ripple effects:
  • Steps that rely on broader government coordination may move more slowly.
  • Families may face delays if the principal worker needs a DOL action for an employer-related change.

VisaVerge.com reported that many families experienced mild slowdowns in earlier budget lapses, but not outright stoppages of routine USCIS case intake.

Specific guidance for F-1 students

If you are near the end of your academic program and plan to switch to H-4:

• The shutdown itself isn’t a barrier to filing.
• You can submit online or by mail, and your case should enter the adjudication line.
• The constant across scenarios: get the application to USCIS before your F-1 ends, and expect slower customer service but ongoing case review.
• If you are not using post-completion work authorization, or you choose to stop your student program to join a spouse/parent in H-4, the same rules apply.

Travel considerations

• A pending change of status inside the U.S. is different from applying for a visa stamp abroad.
• The shutdown environment described here addresses the domestic filing process and USCIS acceptance.
• If you travel while a domestic change of status is pending, you may introduce extra steps and timelines—staying put often avoids these complications, especially when customer service is slower.

Why USCIS can keep working during a shutdown

• USCIS’s fee-funded structure is the reason its core work continues while other parts of the federal system may go dark.
• The agency’s mission runs on filing fees paid by applicants and petitioners, so adjudications—like change of status cases—usually proceed.
• Because USCIS does not rely primarily on annual appropriations for its operating budget, a funding lapse in Congress does not halt case intake and review.

For official information and service updates, visit the USCIS website: USCIS.gov.

Discretion after timely filing — what to know

People often worry that if their F-1 or other status ends before USCIS decides the H-4 case, the application will be denied or they will fall out of status.

• Current guidance and practice: once the agency accepts a properly filed application while the person is still in valid status, USCIS will generally keep working on the case even if the current status expires later.
• This approach acts as a guardrail to reduce harm from unavoidable waits, including those caused by a shutdown.
• It reduces the risk of cliff-edge outcomes during backlogs or funding lapses—but it does not remove the need to file on time.

Filing method: online vs. mail

• Both methods remain operational during a shutdown.
• Online filing:
  • Can offer quicker confirmations and immediate digital receipts.
• Mail-in submissions:
  • Rely on physical intake and delivery confirmations.
• With either route, ensure a complete, accurate, and timely submission to avoid back-and-forth while customer service is slower.

Practical checklist and recommendations

• File as early as reasonably possible to allow breathing room.
• Keep careful records:
  • Save copies of everything you submit.
  • Keep receipts and delivery confirmations.
• Build extra time into timelines—coordinate with schools, landlords, and employers.
• Avoid unnecessary travel while a domestic change of status is pending.
• If you must interact with USCIS:
  • Expect slower replies; plan accordingly.
  • Double-check submissions for accuracy to reduce the need for corrections.

Wider effects on households and employers

• Households tied to employment-based filings may see pressure from paused DOL steps, even if the H-4 filing itself continues at USCIS.
• Employers planning changes that require an LCA or other DOL action might need to wait for funding to resume, which can affect family planning.
• An H-4 change of status itself does not require a DOL sign-off—this separation helps many families maintain their status plans during budget standoffs.

Myth-busting and final takeaways

• Rumors of blanket closures or denials during a shutdown do not align with USCIS operations: core adjudications keep moving, online and mail filings continue, and case updates post.
• The biggest practical change you will likely notice is slower customer service and delays for DOL-dependent processes—not a halt to H-4 change of status filings.

Policy status during shutdown (summary)

• USCIS acceptance of new filings continues because the agency is primarily fee-funded.
• Online and mail-in filings remain active, though processing times may be longer and customer service slower.
• Change of status filings must reach USCIS while you’re still in valid status; the agency generally continues adjudication even if your current status expires after filing, at its discretion.
• DOL suspends immigration-related functions during a shutdown, including LCAs, PERM, and prevailing wage determinations.
• H-4 status changes do not require DOL involvement, so these filings are not blocked by DOL pauses.

Bottom line

An H-4 change of status filing from F-1 or another nonimmigrant status can move forward during a government shutdown in the United States. USCIS continues to accept and process these applications, and the agency generally keeps working cases that arrive on time even if the underlying status runs out during review.

• The slowdown mainly shows up in customer service and in DOL-dependent processes—not in the core adjudication of H-4 change of status requests.
• For families and students trying to keep life on track, that distinction is often the difference between pausing a plan and proceeding with confidence.