L-2 Visa: Dependent Visa for Spouses and Children of L-1 Workers

You qualify if you are the legal spouse or unmarried child under 21 of someone who holds, or is getting, an L-1A or L-1B visa.

• Same-sex spouses qualify if the marriage is legally valid where it took place.
• Unmarried partners, parents, and siblings do not qualify. Partners can visit on a B-2 visa or need their own status.
• You can travel with the L-1 worker or join later.

If the L-1 worker's company uses a blanket L approval, your application refers to the worker's Form I-129S instead of an individual petition. Canadian citizen family members can usually apply at the port of entry together with the L-1 worker.

Every family member needs proof of the relationship: an original marriage certificate for a spouse and birth certificates for children, with certified English translations if they are in another language.

Yes. Since November 2021, the Department of Homeland Security has treated L-2 spouses as employment authorized incident to status. This means you can work for any employer, work part time, start a business, or be self-employed without first getting an employment authorization document (EAD).

Since January 30, 2023, CBP and USCIS have added an "L-2S" annotation to spouses' I-94 records. An unexpired I-94 with this annotation can be shown to employers as proof of work permission for the Form I-9 employment check (along with a qualifying identity document).

Check your I-94 on the CBP I-94 website after each entry. If the annotation is missing or wrong, ask CBP to correct it (for a recent entry) or USCIS (for an extension or change of status).

You can still apply for a physical EAD card on Form I-765 if you want one, for example to use as a photo ID, but it is optional. See our EAD guide.

Families often compare L-2 with the H-4 visa for dependents of H-1B workers:

Getting started at work: once you have your annotated I-94, you can apply for a Social Security number, which employers need for payroll. See our guide on SSN and ITIN. Keep your passport and I-94 handy for the Form I-9 check on your first day.

• Attend school, college, or university without changing to F-1 status
• Live in the United States for as long as the L-1 parent keeps status

L-2 children cannot work. They lose L-2 status on their 21st birthday or if they marry. Before then, they should change to another status, such as the F-1 student visa. If a green card case is pending, the Child Status Protection Act may protect their eligibility in some cases; ask an immigration lawyer.

Your L-2 stay ends on the same date as the L-1 worker's status, or earlier if your passport expires first. When the L-1 is extended, you file Form I-539 to extend your L-2 status. The L-1 worker's total limit (7 years for L-1A, 5 for L-1B) sets the outer limit for the family.

If the L-1 worker's job ends: the L-1 worker generally has a grace period of up to 60 days to change status or leave, and the family follows the same timeline. Your work permission ends when your L-2 status ends.

If you divorce: you no longer qualify for L-2 status once the divorce is final. Plan with an immigration lawyer.

Processing times for Form I-539 are on the USCIS processing times tool.

Since January 1, 2026, Proclamation 10998 blocks all visas, including L-2, for nationals of the 19 fully restricted countries. L-2 is not among the categories restricted for the 20 partially restricted countries.

Most applicants now need an in-person interview, generally in their country of nationality or residence. Check the State Department's wait times and our visa interview guide.

When the L-1 worker gets a green card, for example through the EB-1C category or employer sponsorship in EB-2 or EB-3, the spouse and children under 21 usually get green cards as derivative beneficiaries. Inside the United States, each family member files their own adjustment of status application.

Common reasons for L-2 refusals:

• Not enough proof of the marriage or parent-child relationship
• Doubts that a recent marriage is genuine
• Problems with the L-1 worker's petition or status
• Past immigration violations by the L-2 applicant

If you were refused before, see visa denials and waivers.