; ▁or ▁" aff ili ates " ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁or ▁people ▁in ▁approximately ▁the ▁same ▁percent ages . ▁▁ ▁Sp ouses ▁of ▁L - 1 ▁vis a ▁hold ers ▁are ▁allowed ▁to ▁work ▁without ▁restriction ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁( using ▁an ▁L - 2 ▁vis a ) ▁once ▁E AD ▁is ▁granted , ▁and ▁the ▁L - 1 ▁vis a ▁may ▁leg ally ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁ste pping ▁stone ▁to ▁a ▁green ▁card ▁under ▁the ▁doctrine ▁of ▁dual ▁intent . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Cit iz ens hip ▁and ▁Im m igration ▁Services ▁( US C IS ) ▁approved ▁ 7 4 , 7 1 9 ▁L - 1 ▁vis as , ▁out ▁of ▁ 9 1 , 0 8 6 ▁applications ▁( a ▁ref us al ▁rate ▁of ▁ 1 8 %). ▁ ▁In ▁contrast , ▁the ▁same ▁document ▁reports ▁a ▁ref us al ▁rate ▁of ▁ 2 1 % ▁for ▁the ▁H - 1 B ▁non - imm igr ant ▁sk illed ▁employ ment ▁vis a ▁( 1 1 7 , 4 0 9 ▁appro val s ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 4 7 , 9 3 7 ▁applic ants ) ▁and ▁an ▁overall ▁ref us al ▁rate ▁of ▁ 2 3 % ▁for ▁all ▁non - imm igr ant ▁vis a ▁categories ▁listed ▁( 6 , 2 7 5 , 5 4 0 ▁appro val s ▁out ▁of ▁ 8 , 1 4 2 , 4 4 4 ▁applic