how long does an l1 visa last

Based on Blanket L-1 Petition

• Initial Admission. Even if the remaining validity of the blanket L-1 petition is less than three years, the L-1 visa holder under blanket petition may be admitted for three years, ...
• Subsequent Admissions. ...
• Assignment/Changes. ...
• Extensions. ...

Full Answer

How long can you work on an L1 visa?

With an L1 visa, you are authorized to live in the United States and to work for your L1 employer. ii. Extended Period of Stay 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.

Is L1 visa a temporary or permanent resident?

However, the L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa and is temporary. The total L1 visa duration is anywhere from 5 to 7 years depending on whether you apply for an L1A visa or L1B visa.

How long does a blanket L-1 visa last?

Even if the remaining validity of the blanket L-1 petition is less than three years, the L-1 visa holder under blanket petition may be admitted for three years, unless there are issues related to the passport validity as the alien may not be admitted beyond the passport validity period.

What are the benefits of L1 visa?

The L1 visa allows you to live and work in the United States for extended periods of time and also provides immigration benefits for your spouse and children. The L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign companies to send certain employees to a related US company.

How long is L1 visa valid?

An L-1 visa extension can be granted in two-year increments at a time up to the maximum duration for each visa category. The L-1A visa for managers and executives has a maximum period of stay of seven years while the L-1B visa for workers with specialized knowledge has one for five years.

Can L-1 be extended beyond 5 years?

However, if the L1 visa is approved for a new office, the visa is initially granted for a 1-year period with 2-year extensions available at the end of the year. Once an L1 visa beneficiary has reached their 5 or 7-year limit, they must be outside of the US for at least 1 year before they can reapply for an L1 visa.

How long does it take for L-1 to get green card?

How long does it take to get Green Card on L1 visa? In most cases, the processing time to go from L-1A visa to Green Card can be up to twelve months, while the L-1B to Green card can take upwards of 18 months, depending on when your priority date becomes current.

Which is better H1B or L1 visa?

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.

Can L1 apply for 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.

Can I convert L1A to H1B?

Can I change my L1 visa to H1b? Yes, you can change your L1 Visa status to an H1B status through the H1B lottery. Your employer needs to nominate and sponsor you for the status change.

Is L1 visa difficult to get?

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.

How much does it cost for L1 visa?

How much does the US L1 Visa cost?FeeCostForm I-129 USCIS L-1 visa filing fee$460Fraud prevention and detection fee$500DS-160 form MRV filing fee$190Premium processing fee (optional)$2,5001 more row

Is L1 visa considered permanent resident?

The L1 visa is a dual intent visa, which means that visa holders are not precluded from seeking residency in the United States. Hence, holders of L1 visas and their dependents may apply for permanent residency in the United States without putting their current visas in jeopardy.

Can your spouse work on L-1 visa?

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.

Can I change jobs on L-1 visa?

Can I transfer or change jobs on an L-1 visa? Yes, you may transfer employment or change jobs but only to another location with the same company, or to another affiliated company in the United States. You must notify the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of any significant changes in your employment.

What are the benefits of L-1 visa?

L1B Visa Benefits Visa holder may work, live, and travel legally within the U.S. Dependents of visa holder may accompany him or her to the U.S. L-1B visa holder may be able to apply for permanent residency. Allows a foreign company to establish a branch in the U.S.

Which is better L1A or H-1B 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 I change my L-1 visa to H-1B?

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.

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.

Can I have both H-1B and L-1 visa?

Both L-1 and H-1B are temporary (non-immigrant) visas that allow dual intent. In this case, dual intent, meaning that the foreign worker does not need to demonstrate ties to the home country or jeopardize their visa status by filing for a green card. They both are available for premium processing.

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.

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 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).

Where do I go to renew my I-129?

For visa renewal, the applicant must go to a U.S. consulate or embassy outside the United States.

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.

How many subcategories are there in the L-1 visa?

The L-1 visa has two subcategories:

How many subcategories are there for L-1 visas?

There are 2 subcategories of the L-1 Visa

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 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.

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 an L-1 petition?

Most L-1 petitions are categorized under L-1 new office, which means the American company has been operating for one year. So, you will have to form a new organization like an LLC. The U.S company will pay this fee.

How long does an L-1 visa last?

Generally, an L-1A visa will last a maximum of 7 years, and an L-1B visa will last a maximum of 5 years. If your visa does not last 5 or 7 years, then you and your employer can apply for an extension when you’re within a few months of the expiry date.

How long does it take to get a L-1 visa?

An ordinary L-1 visa application, however, can take significantly longer. You might need to wait anywhere from 1 to 5 months for your L-1 visa application to be complete.

Can I Bring Dependents to the United States on an L-1 Visa?

The L-1 visa allows holders to bring dependents to the United States, provided those dependents meet certain conditions. If you have a spouse or unmarried child under 21 years of age, for example, then they may be eligible for an L-2 visa.

What is an L-1A visa?

L-1A Visa for Managers and Executives: This visa is for the intra-company transfer of employees in a managerial or executive position.

Can a L-2 visa be used for school?

Certain L-2 visa holders will be able to work after obtaining an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). L-2 visa holders may also be able to go to school.

Where to schedule an interview after filing DS-160?

After filing form DS-160, you can schedule your interview with a nearby U.S. embassy or consulate.

Can all employees get a L-1 visa?

This visa has special requirements that not all company employees will meet. The visa isn’t automatically available to all company employees, for example. Only executives, managers, and those with specialized knowledge will be able to take advantage of the L-1 visa.

How long does an L1 visa last?

If you a professional employee transferring to a U.S. affiliated office, your L1 visa will initially be granted for a period of three years. For an employee looking to open up a new office, the initial period will be for just one year.

How long do you have to work to get an L1 visa?

To be eligible for an L1 visa you must have worked for the company in an executive or managerial capacity, or as a specialized knowledge employee, for a full year out of the previous three years, and be seeking to enter the U.S. to undertake work in a similar capacity.

How to get an L1 visa?

There are two stages in obtaining an L1 visa, namely filing a petition and the visa application itself. First, your employer will need to file and submit the petition on your behalf using Form I-129 or, where they have already filed a blanket petition, using Form I-129S.

What questions are asked during an L1 visa interview?

In determining your eligibility for an L1 visa, you will also be asked detailed questions during the visa interview by a consular officer. The questions will cover areas such as your skills and qualifications, your travel history and your role within the organization, both in your home country and what your role will be while in the US.

How long does it take to get an I-129?

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.

What happens at the conclusion of a consular interview?

Based on the paperwork submitted and the answers given to the consular officer during interview, you will be told at the conclusion of that interview whether your application has been approved, denied, or if further documentation is required.

How soon do I need to file an I-129?

Form I-129 should be filed by your US employer at least 45 days before your start date, but no more than 6 months before your employment begins.

What is an L1 visa?

The L1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows overseas employees of multinational organizations to temporarily transfer to the parent, branch, affiliate or subsidiary of the same company in the United States . This is commonly referred to as an intra-company transfer visa.

What is an L-1 visa extension?

An immigrant visa is for foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States, whereas a nonimmigrant visa is for those looking to stay in the US on a temporary basis only.

How long does an intra company transferee stay in the US?

As an intra-company transferee working for an established US affiliated office, you will initially be granted an L1 visa for a period of three years. If, however, you have been granted L1 status to come to the United States to set up a new office, your initial visa will be for just one year.

How long does it take to change status?

Further, if you move into an executive or managerial position, the petition for change of status must be approved at least 6 months before you reach the maximum five-year period. You may also be able to change from L1 to H1B status, ie; for speciality occupations.

What is the classification of L1 visa?

The L1 visa classification can be divided into two categories: L-1A and L-1B. These categories specifically relate to the type of role that you work in, although in either case you must have been working within that role for at least one year out of the preceding three years prior to your admission to the United States.

When do I file an I-129 petition?

Essentially, your US employer will need to file a separate petition on your behalf with USCIS using Form I-129 prior to the expiry of your departure date on Form I-94.

How long do you have to work to get L1 status?

Having exhausted the maximum permissible stay, you will be required to leave the United States and work abroad for a minimum period of one year before a new application can be made for L1 status.

What is an L-1A visa?

The L-1A visa is for intracompany transferees who work in managerial or executive positions in a company that is located outside the United States.

What is L-1B nonimmigrant classification?

The L-1B nonimmigrant classification enables a U.S. employer to transfer a professional employee with specialized knowledge relating to the organization’s interests from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States.

What is the classification of L-1A?

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 which does not yet have an affiliated U.S.

How long do you have to work abroad to get into the US?

Generally have been working for a qualifying organization abroad for one continuous year within the three years immediately before your admission to the United States; and

How long does an executive have to be employed before filing a petition?

They have a physical location for the new office; The employee has been employed as an executive or manager for one continuous year in the three years before filing the petition; and. The new office will support an executive or managerial position within one year of the approval of the petition.

How long do you have to work to get an L1 visa?

For each type of L1 visa, on completing the maximum allowable period in L-1 status, the employee must be employed outside the United States for a minimum of one year before a new application is made for L or H status. In order to be eligible for L1 visa again, employment for that one year must work for a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch of the U.S. company that would sponsor L1 visa. Please note that the times spent in L-1 status and H status are added together and counted toward the total. However, during that one year period, the alien is allowed brief visits to the U.S. for business or pleasure .

How long can an alien stay on a blanket L-1 visa?

Even if the remaining validity of the blanket L-1 petition is less than three years, the L-1 visa holder under blanket petition may be admitted for three years, unless there are issues related to the passport validity as the alien may not be admitted beyond the passport validity period.

Where to apply for L-1 visa stamp?

Apply for new L-1 visa stamp at the U.S. consulate, and attempt to enter the U.S. This would actually not be an extension but a fresh application by the beneficiary for admission into the U.S.

Do you need a new petition for a L-1 blanket petition?

In case the ownership of the firm changes or in case of a merger, a new/amended petition may not be required in case of L-1 blanket petition.

Can an alien stay in the US for six months?

The limitations of the maximum stay in L status do not apply to aliens whose employment in the U.S. is seasonal, intermittent, or an aggregate of six months or less per year. Additionally, the limitations don’t apply to aliens who reside abroad and regularly commute to the U.S. to engage in part-time employment.

Can an L-1 visa be reassigned?

An L-1 visa holder can be admitted into the U.S. even though they are reassigned to a different organization, provided that the organization has been approved by the USCIS, as evidenced by the Form I-797, and as long as the duties remain virtually the same.

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.

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 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.

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 L1 visa good for?

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. Alternatively, premium processing offers faster adjudication.

How much does it cost to get an L1 visa?

The standard L1 visa application fees are (as at time of writing): 1 Standard fee for filing an L1 petition is $460 2 Obligatory anti-fraud fee of $500 3 An additional fee of $4500 if the organization employs 50 or more workers in the US and half of its staff are working on an L1 visa status. 4 ACWIA Training and Education Fee: $750 for employers with a workforce of 25 or fewer. $1,500 for employers with a workforce of 26 or more. 5 DS-160 application fee (for consular processing only): $190 6 Premium processing fee of $2500

What is an RFE in USCIS?

When the USCIS assess the application it will either be approved, rejected or in many cases they may send an RFE – a Request for Evidence. This will inevitably delay the application processing time.

What determines the processing time of a consular application?

It is the caseload of the consular post that will largely determine the processing time, as well as the quality of the submission and supporting documents.

How long does it take to get an I-129 premium?

The L1 premium processing service is available for a fee where an expedited decision is needed. This official USCIS service reduces the six-month processing time of the initial I-129 petition to just 15 days. The fee for this service is $2500 and the employer must file a Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, along with their Form I-129. The USCIS is obligated to process the application in the 15 calendar days or the fee will be refunded.

How long does it take to file an I-129?

First, the employer files form I-129 with USCIS on behalf of the employee. This should be filed at least 45 days before the commencement of US employment and must not be filed more than six months before employment begins. The time this takes to process depends on the service centre that manages it.

Is there an annual limit on L1 visas?

The L1 visa offers many benefits to employers. It is not subject to an annual limit on the number of visas that can be issue d this category, unlike the H-1B, and does not carry with it any educational requirements of the worker.

Overview

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 …

Types of L-1 Visas

Application process

Costs

Renewals

Change of Status from L-1B to L-1A

Limits on employment authorization

Criticism