L1 Visas are nonimmigrant visas which allow a foreign company to transfer qualified employees to its U.S. subsidiary, branch office, affiliate or parent company, which can also be a newly established office. The transferring employee must have worked for the foreign company continuously for one full year within the past 3 years prior to the filing of the petition, and the U.S. company must have a qualifying relationship with the multinational company. As opposed to other nonimmigrant visas, the L-1 Visa is considered as a dual intent visa. This means that the L1 Visa holder may apply for a green card without risking their nonimmigrant status for the duration of their stay.
Types of L1 Visa:
L-1A Visa:
The L-1A Visa is for transferring professionals employed in an executive or managerial capacity for the foreign company and will be assuming the same role and capacity in the qualified U.S. company. Moreover, the L-1A Visa allows an executive or manager to be transferred to a newly established office in the U.S.. The visa is initially valid for three years for established U.S. companies, which have been fully operating for more than one yea. It can be extended in two-year increments up to seven years. On the other hand, an initial period of one year will be given to a beneficiary of a petition filed by a new office.
L-1B Visa:
The L-1B Visa is for transferring professionals employed in a specialized knowledge position. They may possess propriety knowledge about the company's product and services or will be travelling to the U.S. to train new U.S. employees. Moreover, the L-1B classification allows a a newly established U.S. office to file a petition for a specialized knowledge employee.