Eligible spouses and unmarried children under 21 may seek L-2 when the principal has a qualifying L-1 assignment, but the practical value of relocating depends on the actual authorised period and family plans.
Use the real assignment duration
Do not assume a short plant project gives the family a longer independent stay. Eligible L-2 spouses may work incident to valid status with appropriate documentation, while children cannot work through L-2. Coordinate school, housing and travel with the approved and admitted dates.
If commissioning extends or duties change, review both the principal’s work and dependent arrangements. Plan the family move against the authorised period rather than the project plan, and expect both to change. Commissioning assignments extend, contract and occasionally move to another site, and a household that has enrolled children and taken a lease on the original schedule absorbs each change directly.
Use the actual approved and admitted dates for school, housing and travel decisions, and revisit them if the assignment is extended or the duties change, since both the principal work and the dependent arrangements may need review. Eligible spouses and unmarried children under 21 may seek L-2 where the principal holds a qualifying assignment; eligible spouses may work incident to valid status with appropriate documentation and children cannot.