Moving to a fab town from abroad
Visa routes, spouse work rights, credit and banking for newcomers. This is general information and not immigration or legal advice.
Can the spouse work?
L-2Yes, as part of the status
H-4Needs an EAD, usually after an approved I-140 or extension
TN dependentGenerally not
From law-firm pages. Rules change. Confirm with counsel.
Singapore
- Singapore citizens can use the H-1B1 visa. The cap is 6,800 a year, split 1,400 for Chile and 5,400 for Singapore, and law-firm pages say it is rarely used up.
- It needs a specialty-occupation job from a US employer. Permanent residents of Singapore do not qualify unless also citizens.
- It is usually granted in one-year steps, or up to 18 months at a consulate.
- Two law-firm pages wrongly say the E-3 covers Singapore. The E-3 is for Australians.
- We did not find sourced information on H-4-style spouse status for H-1B1 holders. Ask counsel.
Taiwan and the TSMC corridor
- A 2024 Rest of World report said about half of the roughly 2,200 employees at the Arizona plant were deployed from Taiwan, with a stipend for cars and housing, and some families lived in company-linked apartments called “TSMC villages.”
- A real-estate guide lists Norterra and Union Park, Deer Valley and Happy Valley, and Peoria, Westwing and Vistancia as common choices for TSMC staff. It is commercial, so treat its prices as estimates.
- An August 2026 azfamily report covers a proposed $103,000 H-1B fee that could hit north Phoenix’s Taiwanese community. We could not confirm whether it has been finalized.
Spouse work
- L-2 spouses can work as part of their status.
- H-4 spouses need an EAD, generally when the H-1B holder has an approved I-140 or an extension beyond six years. A 2026 regulatory agenda item proposes removing H-4 EAD eligibility. Existing EADs stay valid for now.
- TN dependents generally cannot work, per a law-firm table. Confirm in the regulations.
Credit and banking
- With no Social Security number, a secured credit card is the usual start. Capital One, Wells Fargo and OpenSky are reported to take an ITIN.
- Most sources are card sellers. Check eligibility with each issuer.
- One blog’s 6 to 12 months to a 650 score is a best case, not a promise.
Driving
See the Syracuse guide on foreign licenses. The rules differ by state.
Not covered: Korea, India and Japan, E-2 and L-1 routes, and any country other than Singapore and Taiwan. Immigration rules change often. Use an immigration attorney for your case.