L-1A and L-1B Visas for the United States

Managers, executives and specialized knowledge employees may apply for a special visa category

If a U.S. company has been formed in such a manner that a qualifying relationship exists with a foreign company, the foreign company may send executives, managers and specialized knowledge employees to the United States in L-1A or L-1B status.

These managers, executives or specialized knowledge employees must have at least one year working history with the foreign company in the respective function and come to the U.S. to continue the function in which they served. The U.S. Company, however, does not have to be in the same business as the foreign company.

Although this visa category is designed for large multinational companies, it also lends itself quite nicely to start-ups and smaller scale business ventures. For start-ups with less than one year of history, visas are issued for one year. Then, consistent business activities must be shown to obtain an extension for three years. One more term of another three years is possible, and then extensions in this category are exhausted. An executive or other employee, however, may then have other visa options or have adjusted status to permanent resident.

L status is applied for in the United States with USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). Approvals can be obtained in as short a time as 15 days with "Premium Processing" and an extra $1,000 in application fees. The approval is then carried to the Embassy or Consulate in the applicant's home country, that issues the visa after conducting its own background check of the applicant.

In collaboration with US law firms specialized in "immigration law", which we have been working with for quite some time for any requirement related to business and investor visas for the United States, ExportUSA helps investors and entrepreneurs obtain L1A and L1B visas.