Have the actual activity and individual status assessed. A foreign employer or remote connection does not automatically establish permission to work while physically in the United States.
Do not assume future L spouse rights already apply
Qualifying L spouses are employment authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation. That rule should not be applied before the relevant status is established. Children do not gain work permission solely through L dependent status.
The principal’s approval alone does not grant the spouse status. Record each family member's intended work or study plan along with their age and status dates. A qualifying spouse in L-2 spousal status may work incident to that status when the admission record or other required evidence supports it. A proposed family role in the employer’s operations should reflect the person’s actual ability and authorization rather than an assumed extension of the L-1B case. Review the spouse’s own valid status and records before relying on employment income. The frequent mistake is scheduling employment from a coworker’s experience while the spouse’s application remains pending. Because L-1B is capped at five years, a family making schooling or employment decisions should not assume an indefinite sequence of extensions.