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The L-1 visa (Intracompany Transferee Visa) category allows multinational companies to transfer certain types of employees from a qualified foreign office to the U.S. to continue employment. This is extremely helpful for companies conducting business in both the United States and in foreign countries as it is necessary to transfer employees between offices in different countries at times.
L-1 visa attorney, Shilpa Malik, has successfully obtained an L-1 visa for professionals in several industries such as technology, trading, manufacturing etc. VisaNation Law Group L-1 visa lawyers specialize in working with start-up companies to receive an L-1 visa for foreign-based employees. In several instances, VisaNation Law Group L-1 visa attorneys have helped our business clients use an L-1 visa to transfer employees when H-1B visas were not available. We can help you bring your foreign employees to work in your U.S. offices, schedule a consultation.
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We make employment immigration to the U.S. easy and simple
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To receive either type of L-1 visa, the employee’s company must meet two requirements. First, there must be a recognized relationship between the business in a foreign country and a business in the United States. This can be a parent, affiliate, subsidiary or branch relationship.
Secondly, the company must be doing business in the United States and at least one other country, or have plans to do so during the period of the L-1 visa. The employee must also have worked for the foreign business for at least one continuous year during the preceding three years.
L-1 visas are available for two different types of employees. Executives and managers need to apply for and receive an L-1A visa. These are employees who have significant decision-making or supervisory functions.
Watch the video below to learn how to effectively demonstrate your managerial expertise and executive responsibilities.
Other foreign employees can apply for an L-1B visa, which is available for workers with specialized knowledge of the company’s products, processes, organization, equipment and more. Generally, it is only available if the specific employee is necessary for the business’ operation in the United States. The official USCIS regulations do not state that an L1 business plan is required to obtain a visa however, the main difficulty lies with convincing the USCIS that your position is legitimate and that the business is set up with the potential to succeed. Due to that reason, having an L1 business plan can be an invaluable asset for gaining approval.
To qualify for L-1A, Intracompany Transferee for Executives of Managers, the employee must be employed with the company for at least 1 year in the past 3 years. That 1 year of employment must be continuous and uninterrupted. The employee must either have executive capacity or managerial capacity. In other words, the employee must either have the ability to make company-wide decisions or/and supervise the work of others and control operations.
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It’s never been easier to hire international workers
To qualify for L-1B, Intra Company Transferee Specialized Knowledge, the employer must also be continuously employed with the company for at least 1 year in the past 3 years. The employee must possess specialized knowledge or expertise of advanced nature that is essential to the operations of the company.
In the same way that you would hire an expert to handle any highly-specialized task, an immigration attorney is instrumental in the process of obtaining an L1 visa. The lawyers at VisaNation have your best interest and rights in mind when representing your case. They’ll ensure all documents are properly handled and filed, as well as accurate. In the confusing and complex world of immigration law, you need the right advocate by your side!
Although there are several types of employment-based visas that foreign workers can receive, those who are eligible will probably want to apply for an L-1 visa as it has some key benefits.
Without a doubt, there are numerous benefits to pursuing an L-1 visa. Below is a list of reasons why this visa might be for you.
Your intent is to get a green card in the future. L-1 is a dual-intent visa, meaning that L-1 holders can apply for lawful permanent residence when they qualify. This option makes the L-1 visa appealing to many foreign workers.
You don’t meet the requirements for other U.S. visas like O-1 or are ineligible for the TN visa. In those cases, the relatively easy-to-meet requirements of L-1 could be the deciding factor.
You don’t want to look for a new job, or you don’t want to work for a different company in the U.S. With the L-1 visa, you will work for the same company as in your home country but for its American counterpart. Thus, you are essentially transferring within the company and not actually starting a brand-new job at a new company.
You don’t have time to wait for priority dates. There are no annual limits for L-1 visa applicants, unlike for H-1B visas. This means that you will not have to endure the long wait and then the outcome of the lottery.
You want a long period of stay. With the L-1A, you can stay in the U.S. for up to 7 years and up to 5 years on L-1B, granted that your extension application is approved. Compared to other visas, the length of stay for L-1 is considerably longer.
Your spouse and children can work in the U.S. This is an option that is not available on some of the other U.S. visas. Your spouse and children can come to the U.S. on the L-2 visa and which makes them eligible for EAD.
We helped numerous international companies transfer their workers from their overseas offices to work in their U.S. offices. We are here to make the entire experience as seamless as possible. Schedule a consultation today and learn more!
Our lawyers have extensive experience with obtaining L-1 visas for foreign workers. We pride ourselves on outstanding service and exceptional client care. This is what our leading business immigration lawyer Shilpa Malik said about our EB-1 services:
Assisting my client in obtaining an L-1 visa was a testament to the power of diligent preparation and expertise. From meticulously reviewing documentation to crafting a compelling case, we left no stone unturned in showcasing the value and impact my client’s specialized knowledge would bring to the United States.
Our recent L-1 success story involved a client who approached us with the desire to open a new office for a large overseas agricultural company right here in South Florida. Due to some serious technical difficulties, a few of the requirements were extremely difficult to fulfill but eventually, the case was approved, proving that VisaNation Law Group rises to meet challenges and provides dedicated professional help even in difficult immigration situations.
It’s imperative to your case to have a well-qualified L-1 Visa lawyer by your side to navigate the complexities. Some characteristics to look for when deciding on the right one include someone reliable – Are they available to answer your questions by phone or email throughout the process? Check their online reviews to see what others are saying about their experience working with them. Look for a lawyer who takes a personalized approach and the time to understand your unique situation and goals in order to provide the best possible representation. Is their pricing structure upfront and transparent? What’s more, choosea team who is capable of communicating effectively throughout the process from beginning to end.
The process for obtaining an L-1 visa is relatively simple compared to other visas:
Check out L-1 vs E-3 Visa
There are numerous documents that must be submitted for an L-1 visa application. Since this is an employment-based visa, the employer and the employee must show relevant documentation during the process.
Your employer will most likely have to submit the following documents for the U.S.-based company as well as for the foreign company:
Now, the employee will have to submit a different set of documents that will be considered by the USCIS in the L-1 visa application process. These documents include:
Although you are very likely to have to submit the above documents, depending on your background and the nature of your employment, you might have to submit additional documents. It is crucial to consult an experienced immigration attorney about the required documents for the L-1 visa application.
Because each USCIS service center that processes petitions has a different workload, the processing time for your I-129 may vary widely. However, there is a general average of six months that many attorneys account for when considering the processing time.
Due to the fact that the L-1A and L-1B both need the I-129 petition, there is no difference in the processing times between the two petitions.
All visas that use the I-129 or I-140 petition forms are eligible for premium processing. This feature can shorten your L-1 processing time from upwards of six months to just 15 calendar days. If the USCIS fails to process your petition in the allotted time, then your employer will have their fee refunded.
While premium processing does not ensure that your petition will be approved, it may be a convenient tool to use if you need to enter the U.S. as soon as possible. Speak with your L-1 visa lawyer to learn if this service would work with your case.
If your extension or transfer of status was denied or if your employment is terminated or otherwise ended you may be wondering if there is an L-1 grace period. There is no official regulation that allows for an L-1 grace period.
Here is a breakdown of the necessary fees associated with obtaining your L-1 visa:
It is important to note that all of the above fees are your employer’s responsibility, not yours. Also, the ACWIA and Public Law fees are only one-time fees that do not apply to L-1 transfers or extensions.
Some other optional fees that you may encounter are the fees for an immigration attorney (see our fees here) and the premium processing fee of $2,500, which can be paid either by you, the beneficiary, or your employer.
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Unlock the power of hiring foreign workers
L-1 blanket petitions allow qualified employees to skip the I-129 form and proceed directly to an embassy or consulate for visa processing. To be eligible to receive blanket permission, companies must meet the L-1 general requirements and have at least three or more branches, affiliates or subsidiaries.
Companies must also either have successfully applied for 10 or more L-1 visas in the previous 12 months, have U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates with combined annual sales of at least $25 million, or employ at least 1,000 people in the United States.
Learn about L-1A Visa to EB-1 Green Card
If the USCIS finds a discrepancy or inconsistency in your petition, then they may issue you a Request for Evidence (RFE) rather than deny your petition outright. This RFE will include the issues that the USCIS has concerning the petition whether it be incomplete or insufficient information, a lack of qualifications, or suspicions raised about the company.
If you are issued an RFE, bring it to your immigration attorney immediately. There is a relatively short window for delivering a response. If a timely response is not given, then you may risk having your L-1 visa petition denied.
If you would like to get an L-1 visa extension or renewal, the process shares many steps with the process associated with the original visa. Your employer will need to file a new petition for you prior to the expiration of the I-94 departure date.
Along with the petition, you will need several documents including letters of support and details from your employer concerning your position over the past three years of your stay under L-1 status.
Fortunately, if you have spent any time abroad during your stay, you may be able to recapture that time and use it to extend your L-1 visa even further. To do this, you will need to present physical documents as evidence that you left the country (e.g. boarding passes, plane tickets, etc.)
Check out L-1 vs H-1B Visa
There are a number of alternatives to the L1 if you do not meet the qualifications. Here are some of them below:
We make employment immigration to the U.S. easy and simple. Schedule a Consultation
We make employment immigration to the U.S. easy and simple.
Like with all situations involving the complexities of immigration law, it pays to have an expert on your side. This will help you avoid delays or obstacles that could easily cost you both time and money. In order to make sure that your L-1 visa petition was filed correctly the first time, it’s best to retain an immigration attorney. Similarly, if you’re interested in transitioning from L-1B Visa to Green Card, it’s best to have a professional to guide you.
At VisaNation we can help develop a corporate strategy to request and receive blanket L-1 visa petitions. VisaNation Law Group lawyers can also assist with an L-1 visa to H1B visa change of status.
The VisaNation Law Group L-1 attorneys have extensive experience in applying for EB-1 green cards for L-1A visa holders. Our attorneys can ensure that your extension requests are filed and processed on time and without errors.
We also offer expert reviews of all L-1 visa documentation so there are no unnecessary delays in processing. Through an optimized application process, we can help you get on the fast track to working in the U.S. If you would like to get in contact with a VisaNation Law Group L-1 visa lawyer, complete this simple form to schedule a consultation today.
