L-1 – VISAS FOR EXECUTIVES, TOP MANAGERS AND SPECIALISTS (INTERCOMPANY TRANSFER)

L-1 visa is the right non-immigrant visa category for managers, executives and skillful employees from foreign organizations who travel to the United States to start or take over operations in their company’s U.S.-based affiliated entity.

To qualify for an L-1 visa, a foreign national must have at least one year of consecutive employment with foreign parent company within the past three years, and the foreign organization must submit proof that the foreign national is being transferred to the United States to work in the capacity of a manager, executive, or specialized-knowledge worker.

The U.S. company to which the foreign national is being transferred must be directly affiliated with the foreign parent company (ea. must be a branch, subsidiary, affiliate, or joint venture partner of the non-U.S. employer).

An L-1 visa offers multiple advantages to foreign nationals:

• Foreign parent company and the U.S. affiliation do not have to operate in the same business structure or within the same industry;
• It grants foreign nationals a legal right to live and work for the L-1 sponsoring organization in the United States for up to three years. If necessary, the foreign national executive or manager may apply for L-1 extensions of two years at a time, up to a maximum of seven years; foreign persons with specialized knowledge may also apply for L-1 extensions of two years at a time, up to a maximum of five years;
• Foreign nationals can freely travel in and out of the United States;
• Foreign nationals can bring their immediate relatives – spouses and minor children – who can stay with them for the duration of L-1 status. Spouses of L-1 visa holders are eligible to apply for employment authorization in the United States;
• Foreign executives and managers who hold L-1 visa and are employed in this capacity by a U.S. company may apply for a U.S. green card through employment.

Law Offices of Ilya Fishkin, P.C. has an extensive knowledge and expertise with L-1 visas. We have completed and ensured success of thousands of L-1 non-immigrant visa petitions, navigating our clients through the rigorous procedures of eligibility assessment, documentation preparation, evidence review and timely application filings, status adjustments, Blanket L-1 extensions and more.