The L-1 visa is for companies that need to transfer employees from a foreign office to a related U.S. office. It can be used for executives, managers, and employees with specialized company knowledge.
I help businesses and employees review whether the company relationship, prior employment, U.S. role, and supporting documents are strong enough for an L-1 strategy.
Who This Is For
This service may be useful if a company wants to transfer an executive, manager, founder, or specialized employee from a foreign company to a U.S. branch, affiliate, subsidiary, or parent company.
It may also be useful for companies opening a new U.S. office and trying to understand whether an L-1 transfer is realistic.
L-1A and L-1B
L-1A is generally for executives and managers. These cases focus on leadership authority, decision-making power, supervision, business structure, and the employee’s role in the U.S. company.
L-1B is generally for employees with specialized knowledge. These cases focus on what the employee knows, why that knowledge matters, and why it is not ordinary knowledge that many workers could easily have.
Both categories require careful documentation. A vague job title is not enough.
Common Issues
L-1 cases can become difficult when the company relationship is unclear, the foreign employment history is weak, the U.S. job duties are too vague, or the business documents do not support the story.
New office cases need extra care because USCIS will want to understand whether the U.S. operation is real, active, and capable of supporting the proposed role.
How I Help
I can help review the company structure, employee history, proposed U.S. role, and available evidence before the case is filed.
I also help with document strategy, petition preparation, job-duty explanations, business evidence, and identifying weaknesses that should be addressed early.
Before You File
Do not assume that owning companies in two countries automatically creates an L-1 case. The relationship between the companies, the employee’s prior role, and the proposed U.S. role all need to line up.
If the case depends on a new office, thin staffing, unclear ownership, or a loosely defined role, the strategy matters even more.
If your company is considering transferring an employee to the United States, a consultation can help you review the structure, identify risks, and decide whether L-1 is the right path.