L1 Working Visa Introduction
L1 Working Visa
The L1 Visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows foreign companies to transfer a manager, executive, or person with specialized knowledge to a US company. The US company must be a branch office, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the foreign company.
The employee that is transferred must work for the US company as a manager, executive, or person with specialized knowledge. If the employee works as a manager or an executive, the visa is specifically called an L1A visa. If the employee works as a person with specialized knowledge, the visa is specifically called an L1B visa.
Requirements
① There must be a qualifying relationship between the foreign company and the US company.
② The employee coming to work in the US must have been continuously employed full-time by the foreign company for at least 1 year within the last 3 years before filing the L1 petition.
③ The employment with the foreign company must have been in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.
④ The employee’s work for the US company must be in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.
Benefits
Ability to Live and Work in the USA With an L1 visa, you are authorized to live in the United States and to work for your L1 employer.
Extended Period of Stay The L1A visa for managers and executives is initially valid for a period of 3 years and can be extended for a total of 7 years. The L1B visa for people with specialized knowledge is initially valid for a period of 3 years and can be extended for a total of 5 years.
Dual Intent Visa Many non-immigrant visas, such as the B1/B2 visitor visa, require that you have non-immigrant intent. This means that you must intend to return to your home country and that you do not intend to immigrate to the United States. The L1 visa is a dual-intent visa, meaning that you may have the intent to temporarily remain in the United States while simultaneously having the intent to possibly immigrate to the United States and become a lawful permanent resident in the future.
No Set Wage Requirements The L1 visa does not require that the US company pay you a certain wage. Some visa categories require that you get paid a wage commensurate with your position and job title. The L1 does not have this requirement. Your US employer will still have to comply with state and federal minimum wage laws.
Immigration Benefits for Your Family By getting approved for an L1 visa, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old are eligible to accompany you in the United States. Your spouse and unmarried children would obtain L2 status as your dependents. Your spouse can obtain employment authorization to work in the United States. Your children can attend US schools and get a US education.
L1 Visa is Eligible for Premium Processing The L1 visa is eligible for premium processing. Premium processing is a service provided by USCIS where they expedite the processing of your L1 petition for an additional fee of $2,500. If you select premium processing, USCIS will issue a response to your L1 petition within 15 days.
No Annual Limit to the Number of L1 Visas Issued There is no annual limit to the number of L1 visas that can be issued. This is contrary to other visas, such as the H-1B visa, which has an annual quota.