Immigration Lawyers
The L-1 intracompany employee visa allows foreign employees of companies that do business in the U.S. to transfer to this country to work. It also enables foreign companies to send a manager or executive to the U.S. to establish an office here. L-1 visas are non-immigrant visas. L-1A is for managers and executives. B-1 is for employees with special knowledge. To find out if an L-1 visas suits your needs, please talk to the immigration lawyers of the Chávez Law Group, today.
L-1 Visa Qualifications
In order to be eligible for an L-1 visa you must be have been employed with the company for at least one year in the last three years. In order to qualify and enter the U,S, you must be either:
- An executive
- A manager
- An employee with specialized knowledge
L-1A Executives and Managers
To qualify for L-1A, you must hold an executive or senior management position. Generally, this means that you supervise employees and have the authority to hire and fire them.
L-1A visas can also be used to send an executive or manger to the U.S. to establish a new office or branch of the company. You will need to submit a detailed business plan which includes financial projections and employee hiring projections. You will also have to prove that you have purchased a business location or secured a lease for adequate space and time to reasonably house the business and accommodate employees.
B-1 Special Knowledge
B-1 visas are more controversial than L-1A. Generally, to qualify for B-1, you must have proprietary knowledge of the organizations product, service, research, equipment techniques, management or other interests of the employer that is different from or surpasses the usual employee in that field.
Advantages of L-1 Visas
The advantages of L-1 visas over other non-immigrant visas include:
- There are no annual limits on number of L-1 visas issued
- The prevailing wage standard does not apply
- Spouses who accompany L-1 visa holders are allowed to work
- It is a dual intent visa, meaning that you can apply for permanent residence and that you do not have to maintain a residence in your home country
If you are interested in obtaining An l-1 or B-1 visa, please talk with the immigration lawyers of the Chávez Law Group, today, or submit our online questionnaire.