In order to apply for an L-1 visa, the following steps will have to be adhered to:
- A petition will have to be filed with USCIS or United States Citizenship and Immigration Services on Form I-129.
- Supporting documents proving that the company in the U.S.A and the foreign subsidiary, parent or branch meets the qualifying requirements.
- Approval of Form I-129 will be provided by USCIS on Form I-797, Notice of Action and this can used as a basis of application by the alien who will be ...
- Applicants who are already in the States during the filing of I-129 can ask for a change in status from non-immigrant.
- Spouse and children of the applicant may receive L-2 visas. Read More L2 Visa Interview Questions and Answers
What are the requirements for L1 visa?
To qualify for an L-1 Blanket Petition, the company must:
- have at least three offices, whether in the US or abroad;
- have an office that has been doing business in the US for at least one year;
- plus meet at least one of the following criteria: have filed at least ten successful L-1 petitions in the preceding twelve months; have minimum 1000 employees based in the US; ...
Can a L1 dependent work in the US?
Spouses and Dependents Can Work. If you are in the U.S. on L-1 status, you will be able to bring your spouse and children along with you through the L2 visa. Also, if they qualify for Employment Authorization Documents, they will be able to work in the U.S. as well. This is a great L-1 benefit because it allows your spouse and dependents to make supplementary income to help support the family if necessary.
Is L1 visa transferable?
The United States L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows overseas companies to transfer employees under two types of L1 visa schemes.
How to get L1a visa?
To be eligible for the L1 Visa, the person applying has to fulfill the following criteria:
- Have employment in another country that is not the US for at least one year in the past three years.
- Have specialized knowledge, or have a managerial or executive position.
- Have a transfer offer to a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge position in the US company.
How do I qualify for L1 visa?
Under U.S. immigration law, a worker qualifies for an L-1 visa if the person has been employed outside the U.S. by the sponsoring company for at least one continuous year out of the past three years, and is being transferred to the U.S. to work as a manager, executive, or specialized knowledge worker.
How easy is it to get an L1 visa?
However, despite all of these benefits, the L-1 is not the easiest work visa to obtain. This is because the USCIS is becoming stricter with who qualifies as a manager, executive, or employee with specialized knowledge. The L-1A category is for managers and executives.
Who can sponsor L1 visa?
Corporations, partnerships, government-owned entities and non-profit organizations are all eligible to sponsor an L-1 visa. The organization must be 'doing business' in the United States, meaning more than simply the presence of an agent or representative in the United States.
Can I apply for L1 visa now?
It should be filed at least 45 days before the employees start date and cannot be filed more than six months before employment begins. Submit the supporting documents evidencing that both the US company and the parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch office abroad are lawful.
Is L-1 visa interview difficult?
To gain entry to the United States on an L1 Visa, you must crack the visa interview first. It's not an easy task if you are not well prepared. To have a better chance of success, you must devote time to research the most common questions asked during the interview process.
Is L-1 better than H-1B?
H1B has stringent requirements while L1 Visa is more suitable for multinationals and is less time consuming than H1B visas. Also, L-1 and H-1B have ˜dual intent in that visa holders in both categories can aim for green card while staying as a nonimmigrant in the United States.
Why are L-1 visas getting rejected?
Salary standards. Another major reason an l1 visa is denied is when the wages proposed for the visa applicant are significantly more or less than the standards for that industry in the US. Employers should carefully assess the prevailing wages based on industry and state-specific location.
How long does L-1 visa take?
between 6 to 12 monthsStandard L-1 visa processing usually takes between 6 to 12 months. This includes processing of the I-129 petition, which can take up to six months, and consulate processing which can be expected to take up to six months or longer. If the employer is applying under a Blanket L, processing can be reduced to 1-3 weeks.
How long is L-1 visa valid?
While L-1 visa holders are allowed to renew their status, the overall period of stay is a maximum of seven years for L-1A holders (L-1B holders can only stay for a maximum of five years. This is the three-year initial period plus every other added year in the extension request.
Does L1 visa have lottery?
The L1 visa and H1B visa also both qualify for US visa priority processing. However, because of the quota there is very limited availability of H1B visas. There is usually a lottery in April for available H1B visas to start in October in the same year.
How much is a L1 visa?
To apply for your L1 visa, you are required to File a Form DS-160 with the Department of State. The filing fee for a DS-160 for an L1 visa is $190 per applicant. The L1 beneficiary is responsible for paying this fee (L1 worker).
How long does L-1 processing take?
How long is the L1 visa processing time? Generally, the average L1 visa application time can be between six months to a year, depending on the consulate or embassy the application is filed at and the quality and circumstances of the application.
How long does it take to get a L1 visa approved?
between 6 to 12 monthsL1 visa processing times Standard L-1 visa processing usually takes between 6 to 12 months. This includes processing of the I-129 petition, which can take up to six months, and consulate processing which can be expected to take up to six months or longer.
How long does L-1 processing take?
How long is the L1 visa processing time? Generally, the average L1 visa application time can be between six months to a year, depending on the consulate or embassy the application is filed at and the quality and circumstances of the application.
Does L1 visa have lottery?
The L1 visa and H1B visa also both qualify for US visa priority processing. However, because of the quota there is very limited availability of H1B visas. There is usually a lottery in April for available H1B visas to start in October in the same year.
How much is an L1 visa?
To apply for your L1 visa, you are required to File a Form DS-160 with the Department of State. The filing fee for a DS-160 for an L1 visa is $190 per applicant.
Where to apply for L1 visa?
If you are not doing a Change of Status, then you will likely be applying for your L1 visa at the Consulate of your home country.
What is an L1 visa?
The L1 visa is a dual-intent visa, meaning that you may have the intent to temporarily remain in the United States while simultaneously having the intent to possibly immigrate to the United States and become a lawful permanent resident in the future. iv. No Set Wage Requirements.
How long is a L1A visa valid?
The L1A visa for managers and executives is initially valid for a period of 3 years and can be extended for a total of 7 years.
How many hours a week do you have to work to get an L1?
The entire year of qualifying employment should be satisfied by the time the L1 application is filed. The employment must be full-time (at least 35 hours a week). There is 1 exception to the full-time requirement in certain circumstances where the L1 beneficiary worked for multiple affiliated companies. iii.
What do you need to work for a foreign company to get an L1 visa?
To qualify for an L1 visa, you must have worked for the foreign company in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.
How long do you have to be employed in the US to file a L1?
The employee coming to work in the US must have been continuously employed full-time by the foreign company for at least 1 year within the last 3 years before filing the L1 petition. The employment with the foreign company must have been in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.
How many L1 visas can you get?
There is no annual limit to the number of L1 visas that can be issued.
What is an L1 visa?
The L1 visa is a great way for foreign workers to live and work in the United States. With an L1 visa, you can transfer from a foreign company to a related US company to work as a manager, executive, or specialized knowledge worker.
How long do you have to work for a foreign company to get a L1 visa?
The prospective L1 visa beneficiary must have worked continuously for the foreign company full-time for 1 year within the 3 years preceding the filing of the L1 visa petition.
What documents do I need to file an I-129?
Along with the Form I-129, your immigration lawyer will include all supporting documents such as your job offer to work for the US company, company financial statements, and the other documents specified above.
What happens if I get approved for I-129?
Once the I-129 is approved, you are granted L1 status.
How long do you have to be employed overseas to get an L1 visa?
To apply for an L1 visa, you must demonstrate that: You have been employed overseas by the transferring organization for at least one year within the past three years and you will be performing duties in the U.S. for the same employer or an affiliate.
What is an intra-company transferee visa?
The L1 intra-company transferee visa is available to employees of international companies who are being transferred to a parent, branch, affiliate or subsidiary in the U.S.
Can a spouse of a L1 visa accept employment?
Spouses of L1 visa holders may accept employment in the U.S. by obtaining an Employment Authorization Document.
What is L1 Visa ?
An L1 visa is one of the most commonly procured visas by individuals who wish to work in the United States of America, under the L-1 category . L-1 is a non-immigrant visa and can be used for a short period of time, i.e., from three months for Iranian nationals, to a period of five years for citizens from India and Japan. This visa is based on a schedule of non-reciprocity and the maximum period for which an individual can stay in the States under this visa, is seven years.
What are the requirements for a L1 visa?
The basic requirements include: The U.S company (branch, subsidiary, etc.) petitioning for the visa, must have a qualifying relationship with the parent company. ...
What is blanket L-1 visa?
Blanket L-1 visa is provided to those candidates that meet specific criteria. The USCIS would have already decided the company’s eligibility hence the applicant will only have to provide a copy of the blanket petition that has been approved along with necessary documents.
How many subcategories are there for L-1 visas?
There are two subcategories of L-1 visa and these are:
How long do you have to work overseas to qualify for the US unemployment benefits?
The employee should have worked overseas for a company for a minimum period of one continuous year within 3 years prior to his/her admission to the States. Employee must have been in the managerial or executive position in order to qualify.
How long do you have to work overseas to be eligible for a US visa?
The employee must have worked overseas for a company for a minimum period of one continuous year within 3 years prior to his/her admission to the States.
Can a spouse get a L2 visa?
Spouse and children of the applicant may receive L-2 visas. Read More L2 Visa Interview Questions and Answers
What is an L-1 visa?
The L-1 is a “dual intent” visa. In other words, there is an unspoken understanding that the visa holder is at least somewhat likely to apply for a Green Card at some point prior to the expiration of their L-1 status. L-1 Visa Categories.
Who initiates the L-1B visa process?
Requests for L-1B Visa are originated by the employer on behalf of the hopeful immigrant just as with they would for an L-1A candidate. In either case, the employer begins the process by filing a Form I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker.
How long do you have to work for a foreign employer before filing a beneficiary petition?
As a beneficiary, you must have been worked as a manager or executive with the foreign employer for at least one year in the three years before filing the petition, and you are entering the United States to continue work for the same employer.
What are the different types of green cards for L-1B?
There are two kinds visas available for L-1B Visa holders who want to get a green card: the EB-2 and EB-3. Both of these two visas are employment-based immigration visas, but they have different requirements.
How long does it take to get an I-485?
Filing the Form I-485 for adjustment of status while in the U.S. takes an average of 10 to 12 months for processing.
Can L-1B and L-1A visas be the same?
Although the objective is the same, L-1A and L-1B Visa holders must follow slightly different paths to get to a permanent EB status.
Can an unmarried spouse get an L-2 visa?
An applicant’s spouse and their minor-age, unmarried children are eligible for an L-2 visa. An L-2 is valid for the same duration of stay as the spouse/parent holding either L-1A or L-1B Visa.
How long does an L1 visa last?
If you have been granted an L1 visa to open a new office in the United States, your visa will initially last for just one year. Where you are an employee transferring to a U.S. affiliated office, your L1 visa will be granted for a period of three years.
What is the process of changing from L1 to green card?
The process of changing status from L1 visa to Green Card, is known as an adjustment of status, whereby you are applying for lawful permanent resident status while already present in the United States.
How long can an L1B visa be renewed?
The L1A visa, for employees transferring to the U.S. in a managerial or executive capacity, can be renewed for a maximum period of up to seven years. The L1B visa, for those with specialized knowledge, can only be extended for a period of up to five years.
What is the difference between L-1A and L-1B?
The L-1A visa is available only to employees operating in a managerial or executive role, while the L-1B visa is for those with specialized knowledge about the products, procedures or management within their organisation.
How long does it take to get a green card?
You will then need to wait for your priority date to become current, which for EB2 categories can take anywhere from a few months to a number of years. It can take between 8 and 15 months for the I-485 form to be processed, with a further wait of around 6 months for your Green Card to be issued to you.
Do I have to answer questions at a USCIS office?
Your case will then be reviewed to determine whether or not an adjustment of status interview is necessary. If so, you will be required to appear at a USCIS office to answer questions under oath or affirmation regarding your Form I‑485. You must bring originals of all documentation submitted with your application, including your passport or official travel documents.
Do you have to prove dual intent to leave the US?
As a dual intent visa, you will not have been required to prove your intention to leave the US at the end of your visa period, for example, by maintaining a residence in your country of origin.
