Hammer15

Hi all,

Looking to move to the US with my wife's work in the next few months, so I suspect this will be the first of many posts on here. I'm a veteran of eight J-1 visas through my summer camp work over ten years ago, but this is my first time looking at a non-J-1.

My wife works for a large multinational company and has got provisional HR approval for company sponsorship of her own L-1 visa (we're not sure yet whether it will be L-1A or B, I suspect the L-1A though). I obviously want to follow her across with an L-2.

Do I require support from my wife's company in the form of covering letter as part of the L-2 visa process? I've seen mixed things online - and having had a browse of this forum it doesn't seem so, but I just want to check. The reason I ask is because her company has been very clear that it doesn't want any liability coming back to them as a result of my application (as in, if I get ill, they don't want to be liable for my health insurance, etc), so don't want to provide anything to help me. Can I just bypass them completely?

Or would I at least require a letter from her company purely confirming that she is applying for an L-1 and we are married? Surely our wedding certificate and photos (amongst other things) will prove that anyway.

Any help with this would be appreciated and put our minds at rest!

deadshoppingmalls

No - all the paper work from the company will be about her. You need to fill out a DS-160 when she does, which is to get the visa interview at the embassy. You'll also need visa photos and to bring your passport. The company will have zero liability when it comes to you. Any health issues etc will be covered under the healthcare that you will purchase when you arrive

The embassy arel only going to be interested in her I-129 form which she will bring to the visa interview. Once they have approved her, they will take your passport etc and send it back to you with the L2 visa in it.

Once you are in the US, you will need to apply for a EAD to work, this usually takes 3 months - so enjoy your vacation! (or you can enter the US, apply for SS and EAD then come back to the UK until it comes through).

Hammer15

Great stuff, thanks so much for the quick reply. That's very reassuring.

I heard about the EAD, didn't realise it took that long though - that's a bit of a worry. I already have an SS number from my previous work in the US - I assume I can only start the EAD process with a L-2 visa already issued? I know that sounds a dumb question but we're planning two trips to the US ahead of moving anyway so it would be good to get a move on with it. Hopefully we can get both L visas sorted ahead of our second trip.

deadshoppingmalls

You can only start the EAD application AFTER you have entered the USA on your L status - so if your trips before hand are on ESTA, you cannot apply.

Hammer15

OK, thanks very much. Hopefully we can get on with the application ASAP so I don't spend too long over there twiddling my thumbs. Might be good to get some volunteer experience under my belt to pass the time though...

Fred16

My wife EAD took 54 days last year.

deadshoppingmalls

My wife's took 79 days

There is no accounting for it at all

H Bomb

My EAD took 90 days precisely.

I tried to activate my L2 a trip before we officially moved here as we had a pre-planned vacation but they wouldn't let me and made me enter on my previous ESTA instead (at which point I discovered that my ESTA was no longer valid as I had just got a new passport before getting my L2 added - that was not a fun few hours).

tom169

Just wondering... Were you eventually admitted and under what status?

H Bomb

After a few hours of sitting in a room with suspected terrorists and other idiots that had messed up their entry I was thinking I was going to be sent home on the next plane. Then a guy called me in to a private office for interview.

I explained I was planning on entering on my L2 but had realised that may not have been possible so my back up was my ESTA.
I then explained I was stupid and with everything going on (vacation, visa application, moving countries) I had forgot the ESTA was tied to an individual passport and I had just changed mine.

He just turned his computer around and let me fill out a new ESTA application there and then. Shake of hands and I was sent on my way.

During this time my wife (who did not get in on her L1 but hadn't changed her passport so her ESTA was still valid) had been sat in baggage reclaim with no idea what was going on.

Fun times.

Hammer15

Hmm. Will bear that in mind as I don't want to shell out on plane tickets if the primary purpose of the trip is to activate the L2 early and start on EAD paperwork. Thanks for this.

H Bomb

I am sure if you were going into where you are moving too looking for apartments etc you would be OK.

We were moving to NYC but vacationing in Florida and Vegas - was pretty obvious we were not there to move.

GeneralPowerpoint

Why?

I'm flying over to activate my L2 on Friday.

Hammer15

See post #10.

Has your spouse already activated their L1? I guess this needs to happen first, no?

Good luck - let us know how it goes.

GeneralPowerpoint

Yeh she's out their already.

I'm taking a short trip over to apply for my EAD and bring a suitcase full of her shoes.