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Intracompany transferee visa
L-1 Visa
The L-1 visa allows multinational companies to transfer employees from a foreign affiliate, subsidiary, or parent company to a U.S. entity. L-1A covers managers and executives and provides a direct pathway to the EB-1C green card. L-1B covers employees with specialized knowledge of the company’s products, services, or procedures.
Parandian Law represents both employers and transferees in L-1A and L-1B petitions, from new office L-1s for companies establishing a U.S. presence to extensions and blanket L-1 filings for established multinational organizations. We also advise on L-1 to EB-1C green card strategy from the outset of the L-1 relationship.
The L-1 visa is one of the most powerful work visa options available to multinational employers, no cap, no lottery, and no prevailing wage requirement. But the qualifying relationship between the U.S. and foreign entities must be carefully documented and the managerial or specialized knowledge standard rigorously met.
L-1A Manager · L-1A Executive · L-1B Specialized Knowledge · New Office · Blanket L-1 · EB-1C Pathway · Intracompany Transferee · Multinational
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What is the L-1 visa
L-1 visa — the essentials
The L-1 visa requires a qualifying relationship between the U.S. petitioner and the foreign entity where the transferee worked, the U.S. company must be a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch of the foreign company. The transferee must have worked for the foreign entity in a qualifying capacity, managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge, for at least one continuous year within the three years preceding the petition.
L-1A status for managers and executives is initially granted for three years for established companies, or one year for new offices, and can be extended in two-year increments up to a maximum of seven years. L-1B status for specialized knowledge workers is initially granted for three years and can be extended to a maximum of five years. L-1A holders are eligible to self-petition for an EB-1C green card — one of the most streamlined green card pathways available.
Key FACTS
L-1A initial period:
3 years (1 year new office)
L-1A maximum:
7 years
L-1B initial period:
3 years
L-1B maximum:
5 years
Prior employment:
1 year in last 3 years
Cap subject:
No
Prevailing wage:
Not required
Dual intent:
No
EB-1C pathway:
L-1A → EB-1C green card
Spouse work auth:
L-2S EAD available
What we handle
L-1 visa services
L-1A and L-1B petition preparation for multinational employers and intracompany transferees.
L-1A manager and executive petitions
I-129 petition preparation for managers and executives transferring to a U.S. entity, including qualifying relationship documentation, organizational charts, managerial capacity evidence, and support letter drafting.
L-1B specialized knowledge petitions
I-129 petition preparation for employees with specialized knowledge of company products, services, research, or procedures, including detailed specialized knowledge analysis and distinction from ordinary skilled workers.
New office L-1 petitions
L-1 petitions for companies establishing a new U.S. office, including business plan preparation, office lease documentation, and the one-year new office extension strategy to transition to standard L-1 status.
EB-1C green card coordination
Strategic coordination of L-1A status with EB-1C immigrant petition planning, advising on the managerial capacity requirements for EB-1C and building the evidentiary record from the outset of the L-1 relationship.
How it works
Our L-1 process
01
Qualifying relationship analysis
We review the corporate structure of the U.S. and foreign entities to confirm the qualifying relationship (parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch) and advise on any restructuring needed to establish eligibility.
02
Capacity analysis
We assess whether the transferee qualifies as a manager, executive, or specialized knowledge worker, the most frequently contested issue in L-1 adjudications and develop the strongest possible factual record.
03
Petition preparation
We draft the I-129 petition, support letter, and full evidence package, including organizational charts, financial statements, corporate documents, and a detailed description of the transferee’s qualifying duties.
04
Extension and green card planning
We file timely L-1 extensions and advise on the transition from L-1A to EB-1C green card, coordinating the immigration strategy with the company’s long-term U.S. business plans.
Common questions
L-1 visa FAQ
What is the difference between L-1A and L-1B?
L-1A is for managers and executives — individuals who manage an organization or department, supervise other professionals, or have authority over significant business decisions. L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge, a special knowledge of the company’s products, services, research, systems, or procedures that is distinct from the knowledge of others in the field. L-1A is generally more valuable because it carries a longer maximum stay, seven years versus five, and provides a direct pathway to the EB-1C green card. L-1B does not lead directly to a green card without employer sponsorship through another category.
My company is opening a new U.S. office, can we use L-1?
Yes. The new office L-1 is specifically designed for this scenario. The petition must demonstrate that the U.S. entity has secured physical office space, has the financial ability to commence business, and that the transferee will be employed in a qualifying managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity. New office L-1s are granted for one year initially — the company must then file an extension demonstrating that the U.S. office has grown and that the transferee is actually functioning in the claimed capacity. The extension is often more scrutinized than the initial filing.
How does L-1A lead to a green card?
L-1A managers and executives are eligible to self-petition for an EB-1C immigrant visa, one of the most streamlined employment-based green card pathways. The EB-1C requires that the beneficiary has been employed by the U.S. petitioner in a managerial or executive capacity for at least one year, meaning an L-1A holder who has been with the U.S. company for a year can file the I-140 immediately without PERM labor certification. The EB-1C is not subject to the same backlogs as EB-2 for most nationalities and offers a significantly faster green card timeline.
Can my spouse work in the U.S. on L-2 status?
Yes. L-2 dependent spouses are eligible for work authorization through the L-2S EAD. USCIS updated its policy in 2021 to confirm that L-2 spouses have employment authorization incident to status, meaning the EAD is the documentation of that authorization rather than its source. L-2 spouses should apply for the EAD concurrently with the L-1 petition to ensure they have documentation ready to present to employers. The L-2S EAD is tied to the L-1 principal’s status and must be renewed when the L-1 is extended.
What is a blanket L-1 petition and does my company qualify?
A blanket L-1 allows qualifying multinational companies to pre-certify the qualifying relationship between U.S. and foreign entities, enabling individual transferees to apply for L-1 visas directly at U.S. consulates without filing individual I-129 petitions with USCIS. To qualify for blanket L-1 the company must have been doing business in the U.S. for at least one year, have three or more domestic and foreign offices, and have obtained at least ten L-1 approvals in the past year or have U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates with combined annual sales of at least $25 million or a U.S. workforce of at least 1,000. Blanket L-1 significantly streamlines the process for large multinationals.
Related services
Often considered alongside L-1 Visa
Transferring an employee to the U.S.?
L-1 qualification depends on corporate structure and the transferee’s specific duties. Speak with an attorney before filing.
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