L VISA - INTRACOMPANY TRANSFEREE

L visas are available to multi-national company employees who (i) have specialized knowledge of the company; or (ii) are executives or managers of the company. An individual may stay in the United States for a maximum of 5 years in the specialized knowledge category and a maximum of 7 years in the executive or manager category. At the end of the stay the person must leave the United States for 1 year before he or she can return on a new L or H visa (see the overview of the H-1B visa).

L-1 non-immigrant status is employer-specific employment authorized non-immigrant status available to foreign nationals employed abroad who seek admission into the United States to work for qualifying affiliate U.S. employers in either managerial/executive capacity (L-1A) or specialized knowledge capacity (L-1B). The L-1 foreign national is known as an intracompany transferee.

The L-1 category requires that the intracompany transferee has been employed abroad by the same or a related employer for 1 full year within the 3-year period immediately prior to the transfer, which often means that the prospective transferee is currently employed overseas at the time of filing for the L-1. For these reasons, it is often preferable for the foreign national to apply for the L-1 visa at the U.S. consulate overseas rather than a change of status, once the L-1 petition is approved and prior to beginning employment with the U.S. entity. L-1 status is generally approved for an initial period of 3 years. The L-1A (manager/executive) can be extended up to a statutory limit of 7 years.

Dependent family members (spouse and minor children) of an L-1 intracompany transferee are eligible to apply for L-2 derivative status. Spouses in L-2 status may apply for employment authorization after obtaining the L-2 status. Applications are processed in approximately 90 days. Children and spouses in L-2 status may also attend U.S. schools without changing to student status, although a student in the derivitive L status will not be granted practical training.