L2 Visa

It is recommended the L2 be submitted alongside the L1 application. However, it is possible to apply for an L2 at a later date. The application requires the following information:

• A completed DS-160 form (Nonimmigrant Visa Application form)
• A travel document/valid Irish passports for all family members applying. If you don’t have a valid passport you’ll have to apply for a new passport.
• One photograph per applicant, which must adhere to the guidelines of the US consulate in Ireland
• An original birth certificate documents for dependents
• An original marriage certificate and/or other documents as other proof of relationship such as wedding photos, wedding invites, etc
• A copy of the L1 application form
• A letter from the L1 Visa holders employer

Depending upon your circumstances, you may be asked by the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) to submit additional documentation or information, which they will ask you for at the time. A common reason that US visa applications are rejected is due to missing documents, so it is important to be organized and prompt.

The L2 visa application fee is USD 190 or about 170 Euro per L2 application.

The L2 Visa permits the spouse of the L1 applicant to lawfully get a job, but children(s) are not permitted worker status.

If your spouse wishes to work, they must first obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The EAD is an L2 Visa work permit that is valid for a period of two years but is allowed to be extended as many times as you wish, so long the L2 Visa is still valid.

Once the EAD is authorized, the next step is to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN), which is required for getting a job from any valid US employer. With both an EAD and an SSN, it is possible for applicants to legally obtain a part-time or full-time job at any US company.

It is important to note that an EAD pursued under an L2 Visa status will cease to be valid if you switch to a different visa, and it will be necessary to apply for a new EAD under your new status. Your SSN will not change regardless of the type of visa that you hold.

Should you wish to change your visa, you may be eligible. Depending on your circumstances and goals, you may be able to switch from an L2 visa to an F1 Student Visa to study, the H4 Work Visa for employment, or the L1 Visa.

Another route is if you are permitted to obtain an EAD, and are currently employed by a US company, it is possible to request with your employer to sponsor you for an H1B Visa. This process is done at your employer’s discretion.

Similarly, the L1 holder on which you are dependent may also wish to change their visa category based on eligibility. In this circumstance, the immigration status of L2 visa holders will also change. For example, if the L1 Visa changes from an L1 Visa to an H1 visa, the L2 will change to an H2 Visa.

Any extension on the L2 visa is dependent on the L1 visa. As such, if the L1 successfully extends, so does the L2.

The length of the extension is determined by the amount of time that the L1 Visa can be extended for, which depends on the type of L Visa that the primary holder is on.

If/when an L1 Visa expires, the L2 Visa Holder’s status will expire too and subsequently, will have to return to Ireland.

You can prove the relationship by way of official marriage certificates and birth certificates or proof of civil partnership. You may also submit the wedding’s photo album and/or other photographs of time spent together as a couple over the years.

A letter from the L1 visa’s sponsor that describes/confirms the relationship between the principal applicant and their dependent(s). A copy of your tax return to disclose your financial situation and prove that you can support yourself financially such as utility bills, tenancy agreements, valid passports, and other official documents with family names.