Eligible dependents generally use L-2 status under either category. A qualifying L spouse is employment-authorized incident to status, while children do not gain work authorization solely through L-2 status.
Review the household without changing the principal's category
The applicant's own category should follow the actual role rather than a mistaken belief that a different L subcategory changes the spouse's permissions. Record each family member's citizenship, relationship, age, and intended activity, and confirm the spouse's own documentation of employment authorization. The dependent category is for a qualifying spouse or unmarried child under 21; each person needs valid status.
Record the spouse’s classification, admission record, passport validity, prospective start date, and any licensing or credential requirements attached to the chosen occupation. The usual alternative for a student is a course of study with a school authorized to enrol foreign students, and that route has its own admission timetable, financial documentation and issuance steps. The practical advice is to treat the spouse's licensing as a parallel project with its own timeline, started as soon as the destination is known, rather than as something to look into after arrival.