USCIS Agrees to Bundle-Process H-4/L-2 with H-1B/L-1 Petitions

 

Under the terms of a settlement in Edakunni vs. Mayorkas, effective 01/25/2023, USCIS will resume processing the dependents' I-539 (for status change/extension) and I-765 (for EAD) applications together with the principal applicant's I-129 petition (for H-1B and L-1 statuses).  USCIS will only "bundle-process" the dependent applications if they are filed concurrently with the principal's I-129 petitions.  Bundle-processing is available to cases filed under both regular and premium processing. The bottom-line is that family members should be able to change/extend their statuses and receive the EAD a lot faster now than before.

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)