An L1 visa facilitates the transfer of professionals working for a company in a foreign country to the same company in the United States. These visa holders are known as intracompany transferees since, unlike other work visas, they already work for the company they plan on joining in the US.
How long can I Stay with a L1 visa?
This depends on the type of L1 visa that you have. If you have an L1A visa, you are allowed to work in the US for a maximum of 7 years, while with an L1B visa, you can stay up to 5 years. When your maximum time is up, you can explore other options, which can also lead to a permanent stay in the US.
How do I obtain a L1 visa?
What documentation should I show to have an L-1A visa to open my office/branch in the United States?
- Show proof of a physical space large enough to house the new office. ...
- Proof that the beneficiary has been an executive employee in the company for a consecutive year in the last 3 years. ...
- A business plan proving that within one year of operations in the U.S., the business will support a managerial or executive position.
Can I travel outside USA with L1 visa?
L1 visas may be beneficial for the following reasons. L-1 visa holder may live and work legally in the US. L-1 visa holder may travel within and outside the US. Spouse and children under 21 years of age are eligible to accompany L-1 visa holder on L-2 visa.
What does a L1 visa mean in the USA?
What are the benefits of an L-1?
- Fast Processing Times. Average processing time is between 3-6 months. ...
- Work Authorization. Spouses are permitted to apply for work authorization once they enter the US to work for any US employer.
- Tax Advantages. The L-1 is a non-immigrant visa, which means it does not offer permanent residency (Green Card). ...
- Transition to Green Card. ...
How long does L1 visa last?
The L1 visa is temporary. It will initially be granted for a maximum of 3 years. To remain it the US beyond this point would require a further petition to be made, where the same processing time will apply as with the initial application.
Is L1 visa better than H1B?
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.
Who is eligible 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 hard is it to get 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.
What is the salary on L-1 visa?
Taxes you pay in the US as H1B or L1 Visa holder For example, If you make about $60,000 USD per year in the USA, which is $5000 per month (Gross Salary). For instance, if you live in a state like Wisconsin, your take-home Net Salary would be $3,600 per month ( approximate).
How do I convert L-1 to green card?
In order to go from an L-1 visa to a green card, you must apply for and get approved for any one of these immigrant visa classifications. Specifically, you'll need to get approved for an immigrant petition with the USCIS through Forms I-130 or I-140 and adjust status by filing a Form I-485.
Can L1 visa lead to green card?
The L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa and so it is temporary and does not directly lead to a green card. In order to go from an L1 visa to a green card, you must apply for and get approved for an immigrant visa classification.
What are the benefits of L1 visa?
L-1 Visa Benefits for Foreign WorkersRelatively Low Requirements. ... No Job Offer Required. ... No Annual Limits. ... Period of Stay. ... Educational Requirements. ... Spouses and Dependents Can Work. ... Dual Intent. ... Blanket Petition.More items...
Can your spouse work on L1 visa?
The spouse of the holder of an L-1 visa may typically work. However, the spouse must first apply for work authorization. Application for Employment Authorization can be filed via Form I-765. If the work authorization is granted, the spouse does not typically face any restrictions on his or her place of employment.
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.
Is L1 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.
How long does L-1 processing 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.
Which is better L1A or H1B for green card?
On an H1B visa, the holder can stay for six years whereas an L1A visa holder is given 7 years and an L1B visa holder is given 5 years. There is an opportunity for an extension of stay on an H1B visa granting the holder an additional six years; however, there is no such extension for any L1 visa holder.
Can L1 visa be converted to H1B?
You can apply for a change of status (CoS) from L-1 to H1B from within the US, without the need to return to your home country. However the USCIS process for converting from L-1B to H-1B status is not always straight-forward, particularly given the uncertain nature of the H-1B application process.
What are the benefits of L1 visa?
L-1 Visa Benefits for Foreign WorkersRelatively Low Requirements. ... No Job Offer Required. ... No Annual Limits. ... Period of Stay. ... Educational Requirements. ... Spouses and Dependents Can Work. ... Dual Intent. ... Blanket Petition.More items...
Which US visa is better?
US Visitor Visa (Business Visa USA and US Tourist Visa) You should consider a US visitor visa if you do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA), or if you want to stay in the U.S. for a longer period of time (up to 180 days) for restricted business or touristic purposes.
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.
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.
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.
How many L-1 visas are approved each year?
On the other hand, there are no limits to how many L-1 visas are approved each year. This means that your petition will not be rejected due to the fact that there are no more available visas.
How long does it take to get an extension for an L-1 visa?
However, unfortunately, L-1 holders are only granted one extension after their initial three years. After that, they must either transfer their status or apply for a new L-1 visa.
How many employees can you have on an L-1?
revenue of at least $25 million or have a minimum of 1,000 employees working in the U.S. An L-1 blanket petition allows employers to file a single petition for multiple employees, ...
How long do you have to work for a multinational company?
If you are not currently employed with a multinational company that is large enough to have or plant an office in the U.S., then this could be a very difficult hurdle to surpass. This is especially true since you must work at that company for one full year in the three years that precede your entry into the U.S.
How long can you work on an L-1A?
Even though the L-1A allows for holders to work for up to seven years, this limit cannot be exceeded for any reason. For other visas, such as the H-1B or J-1, an extension can be acquired past the usual maximum. There are even some visas like the O-1 and E-2 that allow for unlimited extensions.
What is the most difficult part of obtaining an H-1B visa?
One of the most difficult aspects of acquiring an H-1B, J-1, or TN visa is finding an entity that is willing to sponsor you for the visa. If you are a qualified L-1 applicant, then you are already employed with a U.S. company that will sponsor you.
Is L-1 visa easy to obtain?
Even though the L-1 can be relatively easy to obtain, those same advantages can be considered disadvantages if you are not already employed.
What is an L-1 visa?
L-1 visas are available to employees of an international company with offices in both the United States and abroad. The visa allows such foreign workers to relocate to the corporation's US office after having worked abroad for the company for at least one continuous year within the previous three prior to admission in the US. The US and non-US employers must be related in one of four ways: parent and subsidiary; branch and headquarters; sister companies owned by a mutual parent; or "affiliates" owned by the same or people in approximately the same percentages.
How many subcategories are there in the L-1 visa?
The L-1 visa has two subcategories:
How long is an L-1 visa valid?
An L-1 visa is a visa document used to enter the United States for the purpose of work in L-1 status. It is a non-immigrant visa, and is valid for a relatively short amount of time, from three months (for Iran nationals) to five years (India, Japan, Germany), based on a reciprocity schedule. With extensions, the maximum stay is seven years.
How many L-1 visas were approved in 2010?
In 2010, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approved 74,719 L-1 visas, out of 91,086 applications (a refusal rate of 18%). In contrast, the same document reports a refusal rate of 21% for the H-1B non-immigrant skilled employment visa (117,409 approvals out of 147,937 applicants) and an overall refusal rate of 23% for all non-immigrant visa categories listed (6,275,540 approvals out of 8,142,444 applicants).
What is blanket L-1 visa?
Blanket L-1 visas, which are available to employers that meet certain criteria.
Where can I apply for an I-129 visa?
Notice of approval of the Form I-129 is given by the USCIS on a Notice of Action, Form I-797, and using this as the basis of the application, the alien may apply for visa issuance at a consulate or embassy of the United States in the country having jurisdiction over their residence.
Can I get an I-797 visa at the consulate?
An I-797 Notice of Action showing the approval of the visa petition does not guarantee that a visa will be issued at the U.S. consulate or embassy, but L-1 visas are normally approved if the consular officer concludes that the individual is qualified and that both the U.S. company and the foreign parent, subsidiary, affiliate or branch are legitimate.
What Are Other L-1 Visa Fees?
First, you will have to file Form I-129 with USCIS. After it has been approved, you can apply for the L-1 visa. The filing fee is $460, which is paid by the U.S company and must be submitted with Form I-129.
How many subcategories are there for L-1 visas?
There are 2 subcategories of the L-1 Visa
How long does it take to get a L-1 premium?
Processing an L-1 visa under premium processing takes at most 15 days, and the applicant is required to pay a fee of $1,440. The fee for the normal L-1 visa application is $460.
How much does an I-539 cost?
If you have dependents that are applying for the extension of L-2 visa status or want a change of status to L-2 visa status through USCIS, then you will also have to file Form I-539 whose charges are $370.
How to apply for an L-I visa?
Once Form I-129 has been approved, you will be required to apply for L-I visa status at the U.S embassy or consulate of your home country . You will also have to file for Form DS-160 at the Department of State and pay $190. The L-1 worker pays this fee. If you intend to change your status from non-immigrant status, you won’t have to pay this fee because you won’t be applying for the L-1 visa. Also, if you are a Canadian citizen, you won’t have to pay this fee because you will apply for an L-1 visa at the Port of Entry.
Why do foreign companies need copies of bank statements?
The foreign company’s copies of bank statements to prove that the size of the foreign entity is capable of commencing business in the U.S. and remunerating the beneficiary.
How many jobs are required for L-1A visa?
There is less pressure to create employment under the L-1A visa when compared to the EB-5 that requires the creation of at least 10 jobs.
What is L1 visa?
The L1 visa refers to the transferring of someone from a foreign country to the United States who works in an exclusive, managerial, or specialized field for employment purposes. With this visa, the foreign employee is being transferred from one office to another office in the United States with the same employer, but a different branch or affiliate of the company that employed them.
How Easy Is It To Get An L1 Visa?
The whole point of the L1 visa is to permit foreign employees of a United States company to be transferred from their original branch to the branch in the United States. To begin, the employee has to file the L1 application. The worker is not able to do this. The application is submitted to the USCIS and reviewed by this entity. There are instances when the USCIS will grant blanket L1 visas. This means that the company will have a set number of blank visas that can be distributed to employees who will be transferred to the United States to work. Keep in mind that every visa application takes a certain amount of energy and time and that applies to the L1 visa. There will be plenty of legal documents to review, forms to fill out, and additional paperwork to read. All of this will need to be done within the six months and 45 days before the request start date. Even though all of this paperwork and the entire application process itself could take you several months, working with an attorney who specializes specifically in immigration could help you significantly cut down on time and effort. For L1 visa petitions, there is a premium process available. This means that a fee is paid by your employer (set at $1,225) and the case will be adjudicated by the government in less than 15 days. And what this means is that the USCIS will generally approve the petition in that 15 day period.
How long does an L1 visa last?
In most cases, the L1A visa is granted for a period of three years. If the employee is going to stay in the United States for the job longer, the visa can be extended up to two years at a time for a maximum of seven years total.
What is an I-797 Notice of Action?
Once form I-129 is filed, I-797 Notice of Action is the document that shows that the petition for a visa has been approved. This does not, however, guarantee an issued visa.
How to get a new visa?
To get a new visa issued, they will need to go to a consulate and speak to a consular officer in person. Going through this process is often very difficult because once the visa holder leaves the United States, they have to go to a different country to get their visa renewed.
What are the different types of temporary visas?
Several different temporary work visas can be used to do this including H1B, L1, L1A, and L1B. Although the H1B and L1 visas have some similarities, they also have unique qualities.
How long does it take to get an L1 visa?
This means that a fee is paid by your employer (set at $1,225) and the case will be adjudicated by the government in less than 15 days. And what this means is that the USCIS will generally approve the petition in that 15 day period.
How to apply for work authorization for L-1 spouse?
Spouses of L-1 workers may apply for work authorization by filing a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization with fee. If approved, there is no specific restriction as to where the L-2 spouse may work.
What is L-1A nonimmigrant?
The L-1A nonimmigrant classification enables a U.S. employer to transfer an executive or manager from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States. This classification also enables a foreign company that does not yet have an affiliated U.S. office to send an executive or manager to the United States with ...
Can an L-1 be an employer?
Currently be, or will be, doing business as an employer in the United States and in at least one other country directly or through a qualifying organization for the duration of the beneficiary’s stay in the United States as an L-1. While the business must be viable, there is no requirement that it be engaged in international trade.
How long can an L1 visa be used?
L1 visa holders entering the US to establish a new office will be allowed a maximum initial stay of one year. All other qualified employees will be allowed a maximum initial stay of three years.
Why do L2 visa holders need an EAD?
This is because all US employers are required by law to verify that any person whom they employ is authorised to accept work in the US.
What is the application process for an EAD?
Spouses of L1 employees may apply for permission to work by filing a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), together with the relevant fee of $410.
How much does a L2 spouse have to pay for biometrics?
The L2 spouse may also have to pay a biometric services fee of $85, although in some cases s/he may be eligible for a fee waiver from both this and the filing fee, for example, where they are currently experiencing financial hardship that prevents them from paying the fee (s).
What form do I use to change my L1 status?
If the L1’s family members are already in the United States and seeking a change of status to, or extension of stay in, the L2 classification, they may apply using Form I-539, Application to Change/Extend Nonimmigrant Status.
Can an L1 employee be accompanied by their spouse?
An L2 visa allows an L1 employee to be accompanied by his or her spouse, as well as any unmarried children under the age of 21. Such family members may seek admission in the L2 nonimmigrant classification and, if approved, generally will be granted the same period of stay as the L1 intra-company transferee.
Do I need to file an I-765 for my L2 spouse?
In addition to filing Form I-765, the L2 spouse will also need to submit two identical recent colour passport-style photographs, together with documentation in support of the application. When applying as the spouse of an L1 intra-company transferee, the applicant will need to provide the following:
What is an L1 visa?
The L1 visa, also known as intracompany transfer visa, is a temporary nonimmigrant visa that allows international companies with offices in the US and offices overseas to transfer certain qualified employees to their US office.
How many types of L1 visas are there?
There are two types of L1 visas:
How long is an L1A visa valid?
L1A visas are issued for up to 1 year for start-ups and 3 years for existing companies. The L-1A visa is valid for up to 7 years, with extension.
How long is an L1 extension?
L1 visa extensions are given 2 years at a time.
How long do you have to work abroad to be eligible for a 401(k)?
Employee must have worked in the same company abroad, for at least one continuous year prior to the transfer within the previous three years.
Can a spouse of a L1 visa work in the US?
Spouses of L1 visa holders (L2 visa holders) are allowed to work in the US without restriction.
Can a L1 visa be used for work?
L1 visas may be beneficial for the following reasons. L-1 visa holder may live and work legally in the US. L-1 visa holder may travel within and outside the US. Spouse and children under 21 years of age are eligible to accompany L-1 visa holder on L-2 visa.
Overview
Types of L-1 Visas
Application process
Costs
An L-1 visa is a visa document used to enter the United States for the purpose of work in L-1 status. It is a non-immigrant visa, and is valid for a relatively short amount of time, from three months (for Iran nationals) to five years (India, Japan, Germany), based on a reciprocity schedule. With extensions, the maximum stay is seven years.
L-1 visas are available to employees of an international company with offices in both the United …
Renewals
The L-1 visa has two subcategories:
• L-1A for executives and managers, valid up to 7 years.
• L-1B for workers with specialized knowledge, valid up to 5 years
After the expiration of the 7 or 5 years respectively, the foreign national can generally only qualif…
Change of Status from L-1B to L-1A
Application to an L-1 visa begins with the filing of a petition with the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) on Form I-129 along with supporting documentation showing that both the U.S. company and the foreign parent, subsidiary, affiliate or branch meet the qualifying factors set forth in the law and regulations.
Notice of approval of the Form I-129 is given by the USCIS on a Notice of Action, Form I-797, an…
Limits on employment authorization
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113), signed into law by President Obama on December 18, 2015, increases fees for certain H-1B and L-1 petitioners who employ 50 or more employees in the United States with more than 50 percent of their employees in the United States in H-1B or L (including L-1A and L-1B) nonimmigrant status. These petitioners must submit an additional fee of $4,000 for certain H-1B petitions and $4,500 for certain L-1A and L-1…
Criticism
L-1 status may be renewed and extended within the United States. Except in the case of blanket petitions, a new I-129 petition must be filed. Renewal in the United States applies to status only, not the actual visa in the passport. For visa renewal, the applicant must go to a U.S. consulate or embassy outside the United States. An alien cannot leave the United States and then reenter without a valid L-1 visa, and must appear personally before a consular officer for visa issuance.