Expediting EAD after losing L1 visa status

[mccsf]

I currently have an L1 visa and recently got married to a US citizen. We have already filed our I-485, I-130, EAD and AP in January and have recently completed the biometrics. Unfortunately, my husband got relocated to another state for work and I was thinking of quitting my job to join my husband and hopefully find work there. But if I quit, I would lose my L1 visa. I'm trying to weigh our options because it's financially and emotionally challenging to live separately. My questions are:
- Can I still stay in the US once I lose my L1 visa?
- If I can still stay and was able to get a job offer in the city where my husband moved, will I be eligible to expedite my EAD? what's the process on expediting my EAD?

[i485-fam-based-applicant]

I currently have an L1 visa and recently got married to a US citizen. We have already filed our I-485, I-130, EAD and AP in January and have recently completed the biometrics. Unfortunately, my husband got relocated to another state for work and I was thinking of quitting my job to join my husband and hopefully find work there. But if I quit, I would lose my L1 visa. I'm trying to weigh our options because it's financially and emotionally challenging to live separately. My questions are:
- Can I still stay in the US once I lose my L1 visa?
- If I can still stay and was able to get a job offer in the city where my husband moved, will I be eligible to expedite my EAD? what's the process on expediting my EAD?

I'm the same as you, L1, married, filed I-485 etc but my L1 just expired, which is pretty much what will happen to you if you quit your job. Yes, you can stay in the country, your status changes from L1 to 'Pending Status' which allows you to live but not work in the US. One other major difference is you CANNOT leave the country as you could with your L1. Well, actually, you can leave the country any time you want but you cannot get back in without your AP so you must wait till you have your AP or combo card in hand.

As for work, once your L1 is expired (you quit your job in your case) you cannot work till you get your EAD, you know that and yes you can expedite your EAD on financial hardship. If your husband is working then that may be hard to prove as he will probably have an income to support your application, so the theory is he is there to support you. If you do have a financial hardship, perhaps medical bills etc then you can call USCIS to request it expedited or you can contact the ombudsman by filling out form 7001 online or you can contact your congressperson/senator to request they do it on your behalf. There have been people in the past who have gotten their EAD expedited by having a job offer but we're currently in a quagmire of backlogged EAD applications and they are drawing a hard line on what qualifies for expediting these days. I had mine rejected and I already have a job that I will lose if I don't get my EAD in a few months. You have to be in a bad place already these days to get expedited.

Hope this helps

[i485-fam-based-applicant]

Me too

I'm the same as you, L1, married, filed I-485 etc but my L1 just expired, which is pretty much what will happen to you if you quit your job. Yes, you can stay in the country, your status changes from L1 to 'Pending Status' which allows you to live but not work in the US. One other major difference is you CANNOT leave the country as you could with your L1. Well, actually, you can leave the country any time you want but you cannot get back in without your AP so you must wait till you have your AP or combo card in hand.

As for work, once your L1 is expired (you quit your job in your case) you cannot work till you get your EAD, you know that and yes you can expedite your EAD on financial hardship. If your husband is working then that may be hard to prove as he will probably have an income to support your application, so the theory is he is there to support you. If you do have a financial hardship, perhaps medical bills etc then you can call USCIS to request it expedited or you can contact the ombudsman by filling out form 7001 online or you can contact your congressperson/senator to request they do it on your behalf. There have been people in the past who have gotten their EAD expedited by having a job offer but we're currently in a quagmire of backlogged EAD applications and they are drawing a hard line on what qualifies for expediting these days. I had mine rejected and I already have a job that I will lose if I don't get my EAD in a few months. You have to be in a bad place already these days to get expedited.

Hope this helps