The spouse’s current status and validity need review. An earlier record should not be assumed to cover a later period or changed circumstances.
Check the individual status sequence
Collect the spouse’s admission and approval records, travel dates and any later changes. Qualifying L spouses may work incident to valid status with appropriate evidence; the principal’s new assignment does not itself extend the spouse’s record. Review children separately. Identify which current document controls before treating a previous classification as continuing work authorization.
Review every dependant’s current admission, travel, school, and work plan separately. Hypothetical example: a geological-core imaging developer’s spouse begins freelance design after assuming an old dependent record still controls. The admission record, principal’s current status, and client agreement identify the relevant work date. Verify status before services start, especially after travel or an employer change. A qualifying L spouse may hold work permission automatically when valid L-2S evidence applies; a child does not gain that authority just by accompanying the principal. Do not treat an optimistic business explanation, a later-created letter, or a family arrangement as proof of a missing eligibility fact.