The spouse or unmarried children under 21 years old of L1 visa holders can apply for a L2 visa to join them in the United States.
Since the L2 visa is a dependent’s visa, its status is directly tied to the L11 visa primary holder.
L2 Visa Requirements
To be eligible for the L2 visa you must either be the spouse or the unmarried child under 21 years old of the primary L11 visa holder.
Same sex partners are also eligible to apply. Since the US government does not recognize multiple spouses, only one spouse may apply for this visa. Anyone else who is related to the L11 person, such as parents are not eligible for an L2 visa.
Supporting Documents for a L2 Visa Application
The application file should have these documents:
- Your valid passport of more than 6 months from the expiration of your visa
- One photograph in compliance to the USA visa Photograph Requirements
- Your fee payment receipts
- Your appointment confirmation letter
- Your DS-160 confirmation page
- The L-1 visa holder’s copies of Form I-129 (Form I-129S for L blanket petitions) and Form I-797
- Copy of the L-1 person’s passport
- Copy of the L-1 person’s visa
- Letter from the employer of the L-1 visa holder explaining job description
- Letters from previous employers of the L-1 visa holder
- Proof of relationship
- For children, submit birth certificates
- For spouses submit genuine marriage proof such as:
- Original marriage certificate
- Wedding album
- Wedding invitation and venue
- Wedding receipts
- Honeymoon details
- Marriage registry photos and documents
- If the L1 visa holder is already in the US, submit their pay slips
How to apply for the L2 visa?
To apply for the L2 visa, you must follow these steps:
Step 1: Fill in the DS-160 form
The DS-160 requires personal information and the purpose of your visit to the US. You must fill it with truthful and complete information. At the end, the form will generate a confirmation page and code which you will need to save for later.
Step 2: Pay the application fee
The application fee for the L2 visa is $185. You must pay this fee for the application to be considered by the US Embassy. In addition, you might also be required to submit other fees depending on your home country and their relationship with the US, such as visa reciprocity fees. You should keep all receipts of the fees you pay as proof.
Step 3: Schedule your visa appointment
When you schedule this appointment, you will get a visa appointment letter, which you will need for later on in your application process. You should try to schedule the appointmen tas soon as possible, since the US Embassy might have a heavy workload and you might have to wait for your appointment to come up.
Step 4: Submit the documents
In addition, you will need to compile a file of the necessary documents.
Step 5: Attend the visa interview
The L2 visa interview questions will include questions regarding any previous stay or visit to the US, your relationship to the L-1 visa holder, and your intentions or purpose of going to the US. You will need to show up at the US Embassy where you made the appointment, on time and with your documents.
What is the L2 visa Processing Time?
L2 visas take from 15 days to 1 month to be processed; however, depending on the Embassy’s workload and other factors, it might take longer.
How Long is the L2 Visa Valid?
An L2 visa is valid for as long as the L1 visa is valid. If the L1 visa is extended, then the L2 dependent is also eligible for extensions. You can file for extensions by submitting Form I-539, Application to Extend or Change Nonimmigrant Status to USCIS for this purpose.
If you are the spouse or child of an L1A visa holder, you are allowed to stay in the US for 7 years. If you are the spouse or child of an L1B visa holder, you are then eligible to remain in the US for 5 years. When the visa of the L1 person expires, you with an L2 visa are also required to return to your home country and cannot remain in the US if the L1 visa person is not allowed to stay.
Can I Work With the L2 Visa?
Children of L1 visa holders do not qualify to work, but spouses do. To be eligible to work with this type of visa, you must get an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You are allowed to apply for this document as soon as you arrive in the US. This document allows you to find employment in any sector of the economy, as long as the job is legal and there is an offer for a position for you.
You can work part-time or full-time, so the EAD does not limit you in this front. In addition, you do not necessarily need a job offer to apply for the EAD. You can get the EAD and choose not to start employment immediately, but want to retain the possibility of working in the future. Once you get the EAD, it will be valid for two years, and you can extend it as many times as you need, as long as your L2 visa is valid.
To apply for the EAD, you need to submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, together with a copy of your Form I-94 and two photographs. You will gather your documents and send them to USCIS. USCIS will go through the L2 visa EAD processing time which is 90 days, and may either deny, approve, or ask for additional evidence. In case they ask for additional evidence, they will specify what kind of documents they need and you must submit them within the specified deadlines.
If your EAD is approved, then you can apply for a Social Security Number (SSN), since it is a document that most, if not all employers in the US will ask for.
Can I Change my Status On an L2 Visa?
Since L2 is a dependents visa, it is difficult to change your status from this visa to another type. However, it is not impossible. If you qualify for an L1 visa, you can apply separately and get it. In addition, if you can get an employer to sponsor you, you might be eligible to apply for an H1B visa.
If your spouse or parent changes their status to a different visa, for example an H1B visa, then you too must change your status to an H-4 dependents visa.
Can I go from an L2 visa to Green Card?
Since you are bound directly to the L1 visa holder, if this person applies for a Green Card, then you too are eligible to apply. Since the L visas are dual intent visas, you are not required to submit proof of intent to return home or prove strong ties to your home country.
If your spouse or parent applies for an employment based green card, then you are allowed to join them, and must submit the relevant documents. If the L1 visa holder’s green card is approved, then you as their family, also fall in the category and get your green card.