Definition:  

• The L-1 intra-company transferee visa allows executives, managers, and employees with specialized skills to be transfered from the foreign company to a U.S. office, subsidiary, or affiliated company to perform temporary services. 

ADVANTAGES  

Processing Time  

Usually, the processing time for these petitions is 30-60 days. 

Duration  

• L-1 visas last initially 1 to three years with extensions available in two-year increments. The total stay cannot exceed seven years. 

Permission to Work in the U. S.  

• The intra-company transferee is allowed to work exclusively for the U.S. subsidiary or affiliate company. 

Spouse & Children  

• The spouse and children under 21 may accompany the L-1 visa holder during the period of the transferee status. 

Conversion to Permanent Residence 

• In limited circumstances, L-1 visa for executives and managers may be converted to legal permanent residence status. 

REQUIREMENTS  

Previous Employment  

• The applicant must have been employed full time by the foreign "parent company" for at least twelve months during the three year period immediately preceding the filing of the L-1 visa petition. 

Capacity Of Employment (Past)  

• The applicant must have been employed as an executive, manager, or as a specialized skill worker for at least twelve months during the three years immediately preceding the filing of the L-1 visa petition. 

Capacity of Employment (Future)  

• The applicant must be employed as an executive, manager, or as a specialized skill worker for the same company, or its U.S. subsidiary or affiliate. 

Intra-Company Relationship  

• The current (foreign) and prospective (U.S.) companies must be either the same company, or related by subsidiary or affiliate ownership. 

LIMITATIONS  

Seven year Limitation  

• L-1 visas cannot be extended beyond a total of seven years. 

New employees Excluded  

• New employees are not allowed to be transferred prior to serving one year abroad as an executive, manager, or specialized skill employee of the foreign parent company. 

Foreign Company's Existence  

• There must be continual existence of the foreign company during the transferee's stay in the U.S. 

Spouse & Children Not Employed  

• The spouse and children are allowed to reside in the U.S. but they are not allowed to be employed. 

Intra - Company Relations Continue  

• L-1 visa holders are allowed to remain only as long as the U.S. company qualifies as the same company or subsidiary or affiliate status with the foreign company.

DOCUMENTS & FEES NEEDED TO BEGIN APPLICATION 

L Petition Requirements  

• A U.S. employer or foreign employer may submit the petition, but a foreign employer must have a legal business entity in the U.S. The petition must be filed together with the following documents:

• Evidence of the qualifying relationship between the U.S. and foreign companies based on ownership and control, such as:

• An annual report
• Articles of incorporation
• Financial statements 
• Copies of stock certificates

• A letter from the alien's foreign qualifying employer specifing his/her:

• Dates of employment
• Job duties 
• Qualifications
• Salary
• Proof that the alien worked for the employer for at least one continuous year in the three-year period preceding the filing of the petition in an executive, managerial or specialized knowledge position
• A description of the proposed job duties, qualifications and evidence the proposed employment is in an executive, managerial or specialized knowledge position

• If the alien is coming to the U.S. to open a new office, also file the petition with copies of evidence the business entity in the U.S.:

• Already has sufficient premises to house the new office

• Has, or upon establishment will have, the qualifying relationship to the foreign employer

• Has the financial ability to remunerate the alien and to begin doing business in the U.S., including evidence about:

• The size of the U.S. investment
• The organizational structure of both firms
• The financial size and condition of the foreign employer
• And, if the alien is coming as an L-1 manager or executive to open a new office, such evidence must establish that the intended U.S. operation will support the executive or managerial position within one year.

Blanket L Petition 

• An L blanket petition simplifies the process of later filing for individual L-1A workers and L-1B workers who are specialized knowledge professionals.

• These are persons who possess specialized knowledge employed in positions requiring the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized knowledge to fully perform the occupation and require completion of a specific course of education and the achievement of a baccalaureate degree in a specific occupational specialty.

• A blanket L petition must be filed by a U.S. employer who will be the single representative between INS and the qualifying organizations. You must file the petition with copies of evidence that:

• You and your branches, subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in commercial trade or services;

• You have an office in the U.S. that has been doing business for one year or more;

• You have 3 or more domestic and foreign branches, subsidiaries, or affiliates;

• You and your qualifying organizations have received approved petitions for at least 10 "L" managers, executives or specialized knowledge professionals in the previous 12 months period, have U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates with combined annual sales of at least 25 million dollars, or have a U.S. work force of at least 1,000 employees.

• After approval of a blanket petition, you may file for individual employees to enter as an L-1A alien or L-1B specialized knowledge professional under the blanket petition. The petition must be filed with: 

• A copy of the approval notice for the blanket petition;

• A letter from the alien's foreign qualifying employer detailing his/her dates of employment, job duties, qualifications, and salary for the 3 previous years; and

• If the alien is a specialized knowledge professional, a copy of a U.S. degree, a foreign degree equivalent to a U.S. degree, or proof of the combination of the beneficiary's education and experience is the equivalent of a U.S. degree.

The price of this service is $4,000. $3,000 is required as a deposit and $1,000 is due upon INS approval.

+ immigration filing fee
+ cost of opening a corporation
+ Tax ID Number cost
+ translation fee if necessary


How to get started?

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