L-1 Intracompany Transferee Visa

The L-1 visa can be used to transfer executives, managers, or key employees with specialized knowledge from a subsidiary/affiliate/branch office abroad to a U.S. company. Any employee transferred through the L visa program must have spent at least one year out of the last three years working for a subsidiary/affiliate/branch office abroad. Additionally, both the foreign employer and the U.S. employer must be continuously operating during the term of the L-1 visa. Visas are generally granted for three years and extended in two year increments, except that employees at new U.S. companies will be granted an initial stay of one year.

L-1 visas are available to companies of all sizes and stages of development, including companies that have been operating in the U.S. for less than one year. They are popular with established companies who use rotation programs or are staffing teams for growth and expansion. They are also popular among new offices with foreign ties because they allow businesses to transfer key leaders and experts from within their corporate group to the U.S. to initiate operations.

The standard for proving an executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge role is extremely high, and standards have tightened further over the past few years. It is important to understand the definitions applicable to each position and the extensive evidence needed to prove eligibility for L-1 classification.

If you are a U.S. company seeking to benefit from key talent working for your foreign affiliates, or if you are a foreign company seeking to establish presence in the U.S., please contact MT Law to schedule a consultation for L-1 visa options.