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Description:
There are two kinds of L visas:
- L-1A-for employees in an executive or managerial position, and
- L-1B-for employees in a specialized knowledge capacity
The L-1 visa is a non-immigrant work visa for employees in a specialized knowledge capacity or an executive or managerial
position who are being transferred from a foreign company to a U.S. subsidiary, branch, affiliate or parent of the original
foreign company. There are no limits to the number of L-1 visas that the The US Immigration Service can issue per year and
the petitioning company does not have to obtain a prevailing wage approval or file any documents with the Department of
Labor. L-1 visa aliens may possess dual intent, allowing them to apply for a permanent residency concurrently with the L
application. L-1A aliens do not need to go through the labor certification process when applying for permanent residency,
however, L-1B aliens do.
There is currently a premium processing option which for an additional $1,000 in US Immigration Service fees, the The US
Immigration Service will commit to process the application within 15 calendar days from receipt of the application.
Processing the application does not mean that there will necessarily be a final decision after 15 days, but that there will be a
response after this time. This response may be a visa approval, a denial or it may also include a request for additional
documentation from the petitioner or the employer. Click here for more information on premium processing.
Who Is Eligible?
- Employees who are being transferred from a foreign subsidiary, branch, affiliate or parent of a U.S. company:
- - who are in a specialized knowledge capacity or an executive or managerial position and
- have been employed for at least one continuous year during the past three years, with the foreign
subsidiary, branch, affiliate or parent of the U.S. company applying for them.
Visa Duration:
- L-1 visas may be granted for an initial period of up to 3 years and may be renewed for a maximum of 7 years
for an L-1A and a maximum of 5 years for an L-1B. Any time spent under an H-1 visa status will count
towards this maximum.
- However, for L-1A's, if after the 7 year period, the employee resides at least one complete year abroad, the
clock starts counting again and the alien may be granted another 7 years in L-1A status. There is no time
limit for aliens who reside intermittently in the U.S., or an aggregate of six months or less per year.
Renewability:
- This visa may be extended from the initial 3 year period in terms of 2 year periods up to the 7 year maximum
for L-1A, or 5 year maximum for L-1B.
Family Benefits:
- Spouses and unmarried children under 21 are allowed as dependents under an L-2 visa. L-1 dependents
are allowed to legally live and study in the U.S. without any additional permits, and the spouse of the L-1 visa
holder may obtain work authorization.
What Documentation Do I Need?
- Petitioner Company's Information:
- - Articles of organization for foreign and U.S. company affiliates
- Company brochures with description and addresses
- Number of employees of parent company and affiliate
- Financial Statements of both U.S. and foreign affiliates
- Documentation showing evidence of connection between the affiliates
- Letter of Support from Employer
- - Alien's title, and detailed job description with any special skills relevant to the position
- Salary and benefits offered
- Name and title of person who will be signing petition
- Alien employee information:
- - Copy of Beneficiary's Passport
- Copy of Alien's U.S. visa and I-94 (if alien already in the U.S.)
- Alien's resume or work history
- Alien's Diplomas and transcripts
- Alien's pay stubs or tax forms showing at least one year within the past three years of prior engagement
with foreign affiliate
What Is The Process Like?
- There are three stages in the process.
- Stage One:
- Obtain documentation as evidence in support of petition.
For small companies, we can also help organize a company affiliate in the United States if necessary,
including the following steps:
- - Application with the Secretary of State
- Application with IRS for Tax ID No.
- Stage Two:
- Prepare and file Petition with the The US Immigration Service along with The US Immigration Service filing
fees for form I-129
- Stage Three:
- Obtain Petition Approval from The US Immigration Service - Processing time for The US Immigration Service
is approximately 30-90 days or receipt of notice requesting additional documentation or evidence to support
application. In the latter case, we will work with the client to provide the additional information to the The US
Immigration Service and we will prepare a response with the appropriate analysis and legal argument. This
last scenario would increase the amount of time required to complete the process and may also increase
the legal fees due, depending on the amount of additional work required.
- (Note: Congress has directed the The US Immigration Service to establish a process for reviewing and
acting upon petitions on behalf of L non-immigrants within 30 days after the date a completed petition has
been filed, however The US Immigration Service is seldom able to comply with this requirement.)
What Are The The US Immigration Service Filing Fees?
- Fees for form I-129, plus $1,000 if we will be requesting premium processing.
content. No attorney/client relationship exists as a result of an individual or entity reading or utilizing the contents of these
pages. If you want actual legal advice you should call or visit a licensed attorney.
Licensed by the Texas Supreme Court. Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in any Particular Area.
