L-1 Intracompany Transferee

Companies that want to transfer employees from their office overseas to an office in the United States can apply for an L-1 Visa.

L-1 Employer Qualifications

• Qualifying relationship between the U. S. based company and the foreign company overseas; nonprofit, religious, and charitable organizations may also qualify as L-1 employers.
• The company must be, or will be, a viable operating company doing business as an employer during the entire duration that the L-1 employee is in the United States.

L-1 Employee Qualifications

• Working for the overseas company for one continuous year within the three years immediately prior to being admitted to the United States;
• The employee will continue working for the same company or an affiliate in the United States;
• For an L-1A Visa, the employee will be working as a manager or executive; this visa is available to executive managers from a foreign company coming to the United States to establish an office;
• For an L-1B Visa, the person will be working as an employee with specialized knowledge; and
• The L Visa employee must be admissible into the United States; “admissible” means not having certain criminal or immigration violation history and/or undesirable traits identified by the United States government.

Dependent Family Members of L-1A and L-1B Visa Employees

• Spouses and unmarried children, 20 years and below, of L Visa employees may accompany or follow-to-join them to the United States. The family members are eligible for an L-2 nonimmigrant visa and will be granted the same period of stay as the employee. Spouses of the L-1 employee may apply for an employment authorization document to legally work in the United States.

The L Visa application process is a complex process. To increase the chances for approval of the L Visa, the experienced immigration lawyers at the Law Office of Shane D. Scott will assist the employer and L Visa applicant with the application process and prepare the L Visa applicant for the consulate interview, if desired. For assistance with the L Visa, contact our office at (800) 230-0744 or sscott@shanescottlaw.com or Skype: shanescottlaw.