The L–1 visa, commonly referred to as an intracompany transfer, is an excellent visa for multinational employees. The L–1 visa is available to:
…an alien who, within 3 years preceding the time of his application for admission into the United States, has been employed continuously for one year by a firm or corporation or other legal entity or an affiliate or subsidiary thereof and who seeks to enter the United States temporarily in order to continue to render his services to the same employer or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof in a capacity that is managerial, executive, or involves specialized knowledge …
The L–1 permits the transfer of an executive, manager or employee with specialized knowledge from a foreign company to an affiliated company within the United States.
The benefits of the L–1 visa include:
- An applicant who qualifies for an L-1 visa as an executive or manager should qualify for a green card in the EB1 Category, thus avoiding labor certification.
- Dual intent is applicable, making it possible for a green card petition to be filed while the alien is in L–1 visa status.
- There is no annual limit on the number of L–1 visas that can be issued, unlike the H–1B category.
- L–1 visa status may last for as long as 7 years for executives and managers and as long as 5 years for employees with specialized knowledge.
- Regulations require adjudication of all L–1 applications within 30 days of submission.
The L–1 visa offers many immediate and future immigration benefits to multinational employees and is an attractive alternative for employees of multinational companies who would not otherwise qualify for E or H–1B visas. These benefits should be thoroughly explored when planning to move an employee to the United States.
If you would like to learn more about your specific visa options please send a request to us at:
Leibl and Kirkwood PC
12625 High Bluff Drive
Suite 213
San Diego, CA 92130
Tel. (858) 481-5211
Fax. (858) 481-7271