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Dependant eligibility for TD, L-2 and E-2 children ends at 21, and no extension of the parent's status keeps a child who has aged out. A New Maryland family whose child is 20 should sequence the move around that date: decide whether the child comes at all, plan the child's own route before the birthday, and record the dates that any later immigrant filing would use under the Child Status Protection Act. The family decision should start with separate timelines for the principal, spouse, and every child. Record passports, civil documents, age milestones, prior status, planned travel, school, and work goals in one place, then choose a sequence that does not make one person's deadline invisible. Hypothetical example: a cardiovascular technologist plans a transfer while a spouse is awaiting a corrected passport and a child is applying to a boarding school. The household decides whether the principal travels first after confirming the dependent records needed later.
Fix the dates and the child's own facts
Hypothetical example: a New Maryland project manager is being transferred to a U.S. affiliate on L-1A, and her son is 20 years and four months old. He may enter in L-2 status, study, but not work; on his 21st birthday he can no longer hold L-2 status as her dependant. Record his exact birth date, his citizenship, whether he holds a passport requiring a visa, and his plans. If he intends to study in the United States, a student route of his own may be the better sequence from the start, applied for before the move so that the transition does not depend on a last-minute change of status. Verify the exact source record for each relationship and name change before filing or travel. The decision is whether to obtain a certified replacement now or risk using an informal copy that cannot resolve a later discrepancy.
Sequence the rest of the family around him
The project manager's husband, as an L-2 spouse, is employment-authorized incident to status and may begin any state licence application now. The couple should decide whether the son travels with them for the months before his birthday or enters directly on his own route, and they should not sell the New Maryland home until his plan is settled, since he may need a base in Canada. Each family member's citizenship and Canadian status must be confirmed separately: a son who is a Canadian citizen has options a permanent-resident son does not, including TN if he later qualifies in a listed profession. Put each dependent's work, school, and travel plan beside the principal's filing schedule. The family must decide whether joint travel is worth a delay or whether a later application better protects a school term or work transition.
Preserve the dates for any later permanent filing
If the affiliate later files an employment-based immigrant petition for the project manager, the son's eligibility as a derivative would be assessed under the Child Status Protection Act using the filing and visa-availability dates, which can protect a child who has passed 21 in some circumstances. Keep the exact dates of every filing and approval so an individualized calculation can be made then. Use the current G-1055 or Department of State schedule to determine any admission or application fee for each dependant. Do not assume a later filing will rescue a child who has already aged out of dependant status; ask before relying on it. Preserve status notices, entry records, and civil documents in a dated file. The decision is whether a child approaching an age threshold needs a separate plan well before the family relies on a later permanent process.
What else is on your mind?
Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.