L2 Visa

A visa is legal authorization for a foreign national to travel to the United States for admission.  Receipt of a visa confers legal status on a foreign national under U.S. immigration laws.  In order to apply for a visa, the foreign national typically submits the required documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in his or her country.           

L-2 Visa

The L-2 visa is designed to allow the immediate family members (spouses and children under the age of twenty-one) of L-1A (intracompany transferee managers and executives) and L-1B employees (intracompany transferee professionals with specialized knowledge) to accompany them to the United States.

L-2 Visa Quotas by Country

There are no visa quotas for L-2 workers.

L-2 Visa Requirements

In order to qualify for a L-2 visa, you must be the spouse or child (under the age of twenty-one) of a L-1A or L-1B visa applicant.  These L-2 requirements must be met in order for you to qualify for this visa classification.

L-2 Visa Fees and Costs

L-2 costs include a nonrefundable $131.00 application processing fee.  The person applying for the visa will also be responsible for paying a nonimmigrant visa issuance fee, which varies, based on the reciprocity between the country of origin and the country that the person is seeking to enter.  This means that the U.S. will charge a visa issuance fee that is in the same amount that the foreign national’s country would charge if an American citizen was seeking a visa to enter that country. 

L-2 Visa Documents Needed

In order for a person to obtain a L-2 visa, he or she must submit a visa petition to the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate in conjunction with that of an L-1A or L-1B worker.  Other L-2 documents include a valid passport, a 2x2 photograph, and proof of the relationship between him or her and the L-1A or L-1B worker.

L-2 Visa Limitations

This type of visa is available only to the spouses and children under the age of twenty-one of qualified L-1A or L-1B workers.

L-2 Visa Extension Rules

A L-2 visa is initially granted for a period of three years, except for a worker who intends to establish a new U.S. office, who initially will receive a L-2 visa for only one year, in conjunction with the time period granted under the corresponding L-1A or L-1B visa.  After the initial time period has expired, the person can then seek extensions in increments of two years, up to a maximum of seven years under this type of visa.

L-2 Visa Grace Period

There is no grace period for a L-2 visa holder.

L-2 Visa Conversion to Permanent Immigration Possibility

As a general rule, most nonimmigrant visa holders can seek adjustment of status so as to obtain permanent resident status (green card).  In the case of a P-1A visa holder, the most likely sponsor of the immigrant petition would be an employer, who files a Form I-140 – Petition for Alien Worker, on your behalf. 

L-2 Visa Family Visa Considerations

As a L-2 visa is specifically for the immediate family members of L-1A or L-1B visa holders, there are no other provisions for immediate family members under this visa type.

Help from a U.S. Immigration Lawyer

An immigration lawyer can assist in the often-complex filing of L-1A or L-1B and L-2 visa applications.  This expert assistance can be invaluable in filing the appropriate documentation required in an expeditious fashion.