1. Two Types of L Visas
L-1A: Managers & Executives
For:
-
Senior managers
-
Executives
-
Heads of departments
-
General managers
Validity:
-
Up to 7 years (initial 3 years, extendable)
-
For new offices: initial approval often 1 year
Benefits:
-
Pathway to EB-1C green card (fast track)
-
Can manage teams or functions
L-1B: Specialized Knowledge
For employees with:
-
Deep company-specific knowledge (process, product, system)
-
Hard-to-replace expertise
Validity:
-
Up to 5 years total
2. Key Requirements
For the Employee
-
Must have worked for the foreign company at least 1 continuous year within the last 3 years
-
Must be employed by a qualifying company abroad (same employer, affiliate, parent, subsidiary)
For the Company
-
U.S. and foreign offices must be related (parent, child, affiliate, branch)
-
The U.S. office must have physical premises (especially for new office petitions)
-
Must show ability to support the position (for L-1A managers)
