L2 EAD - An Opportunity for Spouse of L1 VISA Holders to work in U.S.A

L2 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is a work authorization provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to Spouse of L1 VISA holders.
EAD allows the spouse of L1 VISA holders an opportunity to work in the United States till the L1 VISA is valid.
Here are the list of documents that are required to apply for L2 EAD or L2 EAD Renewal.

• Form I-765 - L2 EAD Application form - Mandatory (Read Instruction Sheet before filling in the form)
• Form G-1145 -  To request a text message and/or email when USCIS accepts your application form - Optional (Recommended)
• Photo Copy of Passport (Spouse and Self )- Mandatory
• Photo Copy of L1 and L2 VISA - Mandatory
• Copy of I-94 - Arrival/Departure History (Spouse and Self ). You can retrieve your latest I-94 from the CBP site  : https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search   - Mandatory
• Photographs 2x2 with white background (Self) - Mandatory
• USCIS Filing Fee - Money Order or Cashier's check or Personal Check (Recommended). Currently $410 without bio-metrics. Bio-metrics is required if this is not captured at the time of VISA. ($85 - Bio-metrics fee). Fees may vary from time to time. Please verify before filling in the check here : https://www.uscis.gov/i-765 - Mandatory
• Photo Copy of Marriage Certificate - Optional (Recommended)
• Photo copy of I-129S (Petition) of L1 VISA Holder  - Mandatory
• Photo copy of Offer Letter of L1 VISA Holder - Optional (Recommended)
• State Driving License or Identification Card - Optional (Recommended)
• Photo Copy of Current L2 EAD Card - Mandatory & Applicable only for L2 EAD Renewal
• Cover Letter indicating your intention to work and why you deserve the EAD and the list of documents enclosed -  - Optional (Recommended)

The forms I-765, G-1145 can be downloaded from USCIS site - https://www.uscis.gov/i-765 

Always ensure that you download the latest forms even if they appear to be same as previously downloaded form as the forms are changed from time to time and the application will be rejected if older version of form is submitted.

Filing Method : Electronic or Paper. Paper based is recommended as even for Electronic method, application is deemed to be accepted only after receipt of paper documents via mail.

Mail/Courier: USPS Priority Mail  Express is Recommended as the delivery is fastest, package can be tracked, and cheaper compared to private ones like FedEx or UPS.

To Address: This will be the address of USCIS Phoenix and Dallas Lockbox facilities. Address for lock box facilities will vary based on the state you live and Courier Service you use. Please refer to this link before writing down the address - https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-information/uscis-phoenix-and-dallas-lockbox-facilities 

Once you post all the documents along with your application you will receive e-notification (Acknowledgment and Receipt Number) on email or phone if G-1145 is submitted along with the application within 4-7 Business Days. You will also receive Acknowledgment receipt via mail within 2-3 weeks on the address mentioned in the form or rejection letter if there are any issues in the application.

Time Frame:  The processing time varies anywhere from 2 months to 9 months depending on processing center and you can determine this based on first three characters of the receipt number.

You can check the approximate processing time of your application from the USCIS site - https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ 

• EAC – Vermont Service Center
• WAC – California Service Center
• LIN – Nebraska Service Center
• SRC – Texas Service Center
• YSC – Potomac Service Center
• MSC – National Benefits Center

Status/Tracker: L2 EAD Status can be checked by either signing up on USCIS Site (Recommended as more accurate and latest ) or on USCIS Site - https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do 

You can submit a Service Request to USCIS if you do not receive notice/ EAD card within stipulated time - https://egov.uscis.gov/e-Request/Intro.do 

Additionally you can seek help from your local congressmen if processing times have passed and you have not received your EAD. You can find who your local congressmen is from this link by providing your zip code.

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Hope this article helped. Please leave your comments if this post helped you and want to see more such posts.

Disclaimer: The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.