L2 EAD to H1B conversion

[innocuous85]

All,

Thanks for visiting & responding to this post in advance.

I am currently on a L2 EAD working for a US firm, and plan to request my firm to sponsor a H1B this year. I recently got my EAD renewed which was originally granted in Feb 2010 and upon extension is now valid upto Feb 2014.

If my firm sponsors my H1B, will the H1B validity be independent of my current EAD ? I understand that i will need to give up my EAD status when i get my H1B, but since H1B is valid for 6 years in total, will USCIS account for the years that i have already worked on EAD (2 years) , and lessen my H1B validity to 4 years instead?

Again, i appreciate all your thoughts in advance.

[livliv]

L2 period does not count towards the 6 year limit. Only L1 and H1 does.

Once change of status to H1 is approved, L2 status ends and EAD becomes void.