Full Answer
What is the difference between L1 and H1 visa?
the L-1 is more appropriate for those that work for multinational companies while the H-1B is more appropriate for those that wish to have more flexibility in their job. The L1 Visa is reserved for managerial or executive professionals transferring to the US from within the same company, or a subsidiary of it.
What are L1 and L2 visas?
L2 visas are also known as L1 dependent visas. These visas are granted to the spouses and dependents of L1 visa holders. An L2 visa is a non-immigrant visa, but despite this you still enjoy a wide variety of benefits in the time you are in the U.S. How to apply for an L1 dependent 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. ...
What is L1 and L2 visa?
L1 visa is a work visa that allows intra-company transfer of employees to the US. L2 Visa is for the dependents of L1 visa holders. Get a step by step guide for L1, L2 visas on Path2usa.
What L visa means?
The L-1 visa is an intra-company transfer U.S. visa. It allows a U.S. company to transfer a key employee from one of its offices in another country into the United States.
Who is eligible for L visa?
L-1A and L-1B visas may be issued when an employer files a petition to obtain authorization for qualified employees to be allowed to work and live in the United States. 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.
How long is L visa valid?
The L-1B is initially valid for three years unless the US office has been in operation for less than one year, in which case the initial visa validity is one year. The L-1B can be renewed in two-year increments up to a maximum of five years.
Is an L visa an immigrant visa?
The L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa category. This means that the L1 visa is temporary and does not directly lead to a green card.
Is it difficult to get L-1 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.
How much does an L-1 visa cost?
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
Who can sponsor L1 visa?
There is no restriction on the types of business that can sponsor an L1 visa – corporations (S, C, etc.), LLCs, partnerships, government-owned entities, and non-profit, religious, or charitable organizations are all eligible. The sponsoring employer need not be U.S. owned or incorporated.
Can L-1 be converted 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.
How long does it take to get L1 visa?
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 can you stay in US after L-1 visa expires?
You're also authorized to work for up to 240 days beyond your I-94 expiration while awaiting approval of the petition to extend status. Additionally, be aware that you are not allowed to remain in the U.S. in L-1 status indefinitely.
Can you 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?
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...
Who can sponsor L-1 visa?
There is no restriction on the types of business that can sponsor an L1 visa – corporations (S, C, etc.), LLCs, partnerships, government-owned entities, and non-profit, religious, or charitable organizations are all eligible. The sponsoring employer need not be U.S. owned or incorporated.
What is the minimum salary for L1A 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).
Which is better L-1 or 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.
Which visa is better L1A or L1B?
If you're a manager, executive, or business owner, an L1A visa can grant you a stay for as long as 7 years. If you're an employee with specialized skills and knowledge, an L1B visa grants you a stay for as long as 5 years.
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 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.
Can an L-1 be sent to a new office?
New Offices. Another equally important L-1 benefit is the fact that, if a multinational employer does not currently have an office or branch in the U.S., an L-1 holder can be sent in order to establish a new one. While there are. While there are different limitations attached to this process, it is extremely advantageous to be able ...
What is an L-1 visa?
Apart from the H-1B visa , the L-1 is the other type of work visa the United States of America issues to professionals looking to work in the country. Unlike the H-1B, where an individual is looking to join and American company, the L-1 visa is issued to those who are already employed by the company in another country, and who are merely relocating to an American office.
What are the requirements for a visa holder to work in the US?
Also, throughout the visa holder’s stay in the US, the employer must be doing business in the US and at least one other country.
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 is an L-1A visa?
An L-1A visa is a visa for non-immigrant foreign executives or managers who are being transferred to their company's U.S. offices.
How long does an L-1 visa last?
If the L-1 is granted to an employee who will establish the company in the U.S., the visa will be for only one year.
Who Can Receive an L-1A?
To receive an L-1A visa, the employee must fit into either the role of executive or manager. The definitions of who is considered an executive and a manager are very strict. A manager and executive must plan, organize, direct, and control the major functions of a business and work through other employees to achieve the goals of the organization.
When Is an L-1A Not an Option?
An employee visiting the U.S. for a conference, to attend meetings, or participate in training isn't eligible for an L -1 visa. L-1 visas are for individuals involved in regular and systematic work with a company in the U.S.
How long do you have to work to get an L-1 visa?
It's also required that the employee has worked for that employer for at least one year in the last three years before they're eligible for an L-1 visa. The L-1 visa holder must work for the employer who petitioned for the L-1 visa the entire time they remain in the U.S. on L-1 visa status.
What is the difference between L-1A and L-1B?
The major difference between an L-1A visa and an L-1B visa is that different types of employees are eligible for them. The L-1A is for executives and managers. The L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge.
What is the benefit of L-1 visa?
A multinational company will be highly benefitted by the L-1 visa program. The L -1 visa program lets a multinational company bring in employees from around the world when establishing an office. It allows for the movement of employees from office to office and country to country to make sure the employees understand how the different locations work.
How to apply for a L-1 visa?
On L-1 Blanket visa, you may: 1 Be transferred to the U.S. and work legally for a U.S. company that is a branch, parents, subsidiary, affiliate or joint venture partner of a company that already employs you outside of the U.S. 2 Be quickly issued your visa 3 Be permitted to travel in and out of the U.S. or remain here continuously until your L-1 status expires 4 Avail of dependant visas for accompanying relatives 5 Apply for a Green Card through employment and skip a major step of that process (no Labor Certification requirements)
Who is eligible for L-2 visa?
L-2 visa is issued to the dependants of an L-1 visa holder. Dependants include the spouse and unmarried children below 21 years of age.
What is an L1 blanket?
What is L1 Blanket petition? The L-1 Blanket petition is a procedure through which a very large company may pre-qualify to transfer its L-1 employees. Once the L-1 Blanket is approved, the company may transfer people to the U.S. on L-1 visa quickly and on short notice without having to file a separate petition for each employee with ...
How long do you have to wait to apply for an extension for an L-1A visa?
with the intention of establishing a branch or office where none previously existed. However, in this case, you will only have an initial period of one year before you need to submit a business plan and report to get an extension.
What is a nonimmigrant visa?
This common nonimmigrant visa is meant for multinational employers to be able to transfer employees from a foreign location to a U.S. location. To be considered a multinational employer, it must have a branch, subsidiary, affiliate, parent, or office located in both the U.S. and the beneficiary’s home country.
What is the E-3 Visa?
The E-1 is for treaty traders and the E-2 is reserved for treaty investors. However, the E-3 takes a different approach. It is designed for Australian citizens with specialty positions.
What is dual intent visa?
These visas allow the holder to apply for lawful permanent residency (green card) without jeopardizing their status. Some of the more popular visas, such as the H-1B or the O-1, are considered dual intent. The L-1 also fits in this category.
How much is the DS-160 fee?
E-3 Fees. $460 basic I-129 filing fee. $190 DS-160 fee.
What is the difference between L-1 and E-3?
One of the major differences to take into account is the disparity in price. The L-1 requires a much greater financial investment than the E-3 on the part of your employer.
Is L-1 or E-3 better for green card?
Ultimately, however, the decision will be dependent on your case. Each person’s immigration situation is unique and the correct choice will vary based on the specifics. For example, if you are interested in getting your green card, the L-1 may be a good choice. Or, if you are a specialized employee, the E-3 may be the best bet.
What is an L2 visa?
The L2 visa allows the dependent spouse and minor, unmarried children of qualified L-1 visa holders to enter into the U.S.
How long is an I-765 valid?
Based on this, you will receive an employment authorization document which is valid for 240 days while the USCIS processes your two year employment authorization document.
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 ...
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.
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.
What is a K visa?
K nonimmigrant visas – For U.S. citizen fiancé (e) and spouse for immigration related purposes. Refer to Immigrant Visa Categories.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. When you apply at a U.S embassy or consulate, a consular officer will determine based on laws, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate.
What does a consular officer determine when applying for a visa?
When you apply at a U.S embassy or consulate, a consular officer will determine based on laws, whether you are eligible to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate. ALL / ALL /.
What is a DOL?
DOL = The U.S. employer must obtain foreign labor certification from the U.S. Department of Labor, prior to filing a petition with USCIS.
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.