L-1A visa

Who Can Apply for an L-1A Visa?

To be eligible for an L-1A visa, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Employment Relationship

The applicant must have worked as a manager or senior executive for at least one year within the last three years at a qualified foreign company.

Managerial or Administrative Role

The applicant must be coming to the United States to work in a managerial or administrative position at a qualified U.S. company that is a parent company, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch of the foreign employer.

Company Relationship

There must be a qualified relationship between the foreign company and the U.S. entity, such as a parent company, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch.

How ​​Does the Application Process Work?

The steps to apply for an L-1A visa, whether through a change of status or a visa application, are summarized below.

Step 1: Eligibility Determination

First, we confirm the applicant’s eligibility by ensuring they meet the L-1A visa criteria; these criteria include holding a managerial or administrative position and having worked for at least one year in a qualified multinational company within the last three years.

Step 2: Document Collection

We collect the documents requested by the employer; these include proof of employment, proof of managerial or senior management position, company information for qualified U.S. and foreign companies, and the applicant’s personal documents.

Step 3: Preparing the Application Package and Submitting the Cover Letter

We compile and submit an application package to USCIS that includes a cover letter explaining the applicant’s eligibility for the L-1A visa, the qualified relationship, the managerial or senior management position, the U.S. company’s business plan, personal documents, forms, and proof of pay.

Status Change Application: If the applicant is currently in the United States under a different non-immigrant status, such as B2 tourist status, they may apply for a change to L-1A status, and if approved by USCIS, submitting the L-1A application will suffice for the status change.

Step 4: Submitting Form DS-160

Following approval of the initial L-1A petition by USCIS, we submit the DS-160 form to the U.S. embassy or consulate where the visa application will be submitted.

Step 5: Visa Interview

We schedule a visa interview appointment for you at the U.S. embassy or consulate, bringing your visa application notice, your initial application package, the approval notice issued by USCIS, and other documents.

Applicants should be prepared to answer questions about management or senior management roles and provide additional documentation if requested.

Step 6: Visa Issuance

If the visa application is approved, the applicant will receive an L-1A visa stamp in their passport.

What are the Benefits of an L-1A Visa?

The L-1A visa offers several advantages for managers and directors who wish to work in the United States:

a. Intra-Company Transfer

The L-1A visa allows for the transfer of key personnel from a qualified foreign company to a relevant U.S. organization.

b. Duration of Stay

The L-1A visa is initially valid for up to three years and can be extended for up to seven years. However, in the case of a new office application, the initial duration of stay with an L-1A visa is one year and can be extended for a total of seven years with two-year extensions.

c. Dual Intent

L-1A visa holders may hold dual intent; that is, they can obtain permanent residency in the United States while maintaining their non-immigrant visa status.

d. Path to Permanent Residency

L-1A visa holders may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through employment-based immigrant visa categories such as the EB-1C visa.

What Application Documents are Required?

When applying for an L-1A visa, applicants are required to submit a comprehensive set of documents to support their eligibility and intra-company transfer. Typically, the following documents are required:

a. Company Documents

Documents demonstrating the qualified relationship between the foreign employer and the U.S. organization, such as articles of incorporation, stock certificates, or financial statements.

b. Job Offer and Description

A letter from the U.S. employer detailing the job offer and describing the management or director role.

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