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USA L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visa

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Expand Your Business or Transfer Key Employees to the United States

The USA L-1 Visa allows an overseas company to transfer a qualifying executive, manager or specialised-knowledge employee to a related business in the United States.

It can also allow an established foreign company to send an executive or manager to America to open and develop a new U.S. office.

The L-1 route may be suitable for:

  1. Business owners expanding into the United States
  2. Chief executives and directors
  3. Senior managers
  4. Department or function managers
  5. Specialist employees
  6. Multinational companies
  7. Overseas companies opening a U.S. branch or subsidiary

The L-1 Visa does not require treaty-country nationality, a points score, a visa lottery or a fixed minimum investment.

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What Is the L-1 Visa?

The L-1 classification allows a qualifying U.S. employer to transfer an employee from a related overseas office to the United States.

There are two main categories:

Category Intended Applicant
L-1A Executives and managers
L-1B Employees with specialised knowledge
The foreign and U.S. businesses must have a qualifying relationship, such as:
  1. Parent and subsidiary
  2. Branch offices of the same organisation
  3. Affiliates
  4. Qualifying commonly owned companies
The group must normally continue doing business in the United States and at least one other country during the employee’s L-1 stay.

Main L-1 Visa Requirements

The applicant must generally:

  1. Have worked continuously for the qualifying overseas organisation for at least one year
  2. Have completed that year during the three years preceding the petition
  3. Be transferred to a related U.S. entity
  4. Work in an executive, managerial or specialised-knowledge role
  5. Be sponsored through Form I-129 by the qualifying U.S. employer

The L-1 is an employer-petitioned route. Registering a U.S. company alone does not create eligibility.

L-1A Visa for Executives and Managers

The L-1A Visa is intended for employees who will primarily work in an executive or managerial capacity.

Executive Capacity

An executive normally:

  1. Directs the management of the organisation or a major function
  2. Establishes important policies and goals
  3. Exercises broad decision-making authority
  4. Receives limited supervision from higher-level executives, owners or directors

Managerial Capacity

A qualifying manager may:

  1. Manage an organisation, department or major business function
  2. Supervise professional employees
  3. Exercise authority over personnel decisions
  4. Manage an essential function at a senior level

A senior job title alone is insufficient. The organisation, staffing, duties and decision-making authority must support the claimed role.

L-1A New Office Visa

The L-1A New Office pathway may allow an established overseas business to send an executive or manager to establish its first related U.S. office.

The company should demonstrate:

  1. An active and operating overseas business
  2. A qualifying relationship with the U.S. company
  3. Suitable U.S. business premises
  4. Sufficient startup and operating funds
  5. A credible U.S. business plan
  6. Realistic revenue and staffing forecasts
  7. The ability to support an executive or managerial position within one year

A new-office L-1 petition is normally approved initially for up to one year. At extension stage, USCIS will examine whether the U.S. operation has developed sufficiently to support a genuine executive or managerial role.

Important: Opening a shell company, renting a virtual address or presenting unrealistic staffing projections will not establish L-1A eligibility

L-1B Specialised-Knowledge Visa

The L-1B Visa is for employees who have specialised knowledge relating to the organisation’s:

  1. Products
  2. Services
  3. Research
  4. Equipment
  5. Techniques
  6. Management
  7. Processes
  8. Procedures
  9. International-market operations

The knowledge should be advanced or uncommon within the organisation. Ordinary professional experience or general industry knowledge may not be sufficient

L-1 Visa Duration

Category Initial Approval Maximum Stay
New-office L-1A or L-1B Up to 1 year Subject to category limit
Existing-office L-1A Up to 3 years 7 years
Existing-office L-1B Up to 3 years 5 years

Extensions are generally granted in increments of up to two years while the employee and companies continue to qualify.

Important: Opening a shell company, renting a virtual address or presenting unrealistic staffing projections will not establish L-1A eligibility

L-1 Visa Application Process

1 Step 1: Assess the Company Structure

Confirm the ownership and qualifying relationship between the foreign and U.S. companies.

2 Step 2: Review the Applicant’s Employment

Verify the required one continuous year of qualifying employment abroad and the applicant’s executive, managerial or specialised role.

3 Step 3: Establish or Document the U.S. Operation

Depending on the case, evidence may include:

  1. U.S. company registration
  2. Ownership records
  3. Federal tax number
  4. Business premises
  5. Bank records
  6. Contracts
  7. Licences
  8. Payroll
  9. Organisational chart
  10. Business plan
  11. Financial forecasts
4 Step 4: File Form I-129

The U.S. company files Form I-129 with the L Classification Supplement and supporting evidence.

5 Step 5: Complete Consular Processing

After USCIS approves the petition, an applicant outside the United States normally completes Form DS-160 and attends a visa interview.

6 Step 6: Enter the United States

A visa permits the applicant to seek entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection makes the final admission decision and issues the authorised period of stay.

L-1 Visa Fees

Government charges may include:

  1. Form I-129 filing fee, based on petitioner size and category
  2. Asylum Program Fee
  3. USD 500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee for qualifying initial petitions
  4. Optional premium-processing fee
  5. USD 205 visa application fee per applicant
  6. A possible USD 4,500 supplemental fee for certain large employers with high numbers of H-1B and L-1 employees

The current Asylum Program Fee is generally USD 600 for regular petitioners, USD 300 for qualifying small employers and zero for eligible nonprofit organisations.

Premium processing is available for qualifying Form I-129 petitions and generally requires USCIS to take adjudicative action within 15 business days. It does not guarantee approval.

The petition filing fee should be recalculated through the current USCIS fee schedule before submission.

L-1 Visa for Pakistani Applicants

Pakistani executives, managers, business owners and specialist employees may apply where the corporate and employment requirements are met. The current reciprocity schedule for Pakistani nationals provides:
Feature Current Position
Visa application fee USD 205
Reciprocity issuance fee None
Entries Multiple
Maximum visa validity 12 months

Visa validity is different from the petition or authorised stay. A Pakistani applicant may hold an approved petition covering a longer period while the visa foil itself is issued according to the reciprocity schedule.

Can Your Family Accompany You?

Eligible dependants may include:

  1. A spouse
  2. Unmarried children under 21

They may apply for L-2 status.

A qualifying spouse admitted in L-2S status is generally authorised to work incident to status. Children may study but are not normally authorised to work through L-2 status

Can L-1 Lead to a Green Card?

The L-1 Visa does not automatically provide permanent residence.

However, some L-1A executives and managers may later qualify for the EB-1C Multinational Executive or Manager immigrant category.

An EB-1C case generally requires:

  1. A qualifying multinational corporate relationship
  2. An eligible period of employment abroad
  3. A U.S. company that has been doing business for at least one year
  4. A permanent U.S. executive or managerial position

The EB-1C application is separate and must independently satisfy the immigrant-category requirements.

L-1 vs E-2 Visa

Feature L-1 Visa E-2 Visa
Main purpose Intracompany transfer Treaty-country investment
Existing overseas company Required Not necessarily
Treaty nationality Not required Required
Qualifying foreign employment Required Not required
Fixed investment No No fixed statutory amount
U.S. employer petition Required Consular investor application
Potential EB-1C pathway Possible for qualifying L-1A cases Not directly

Common Reasons L-1 Cases Fail

  1. The foreign company is inactive or too weak
  2. Ownership between the companies is unclear
  3. The applicant did not complete one qualifying year abroad
  4. Duties are operational rather than managerial
  5. The U.S. company cannot support the proposed position
  6. The new-office business plan is unrealistic
  7. Insufficient premises or operating funds are shown
  8. Staffing projections do not support a senior role
  9. Specialised knowledge is described only in general terms
  10. Company, financial and employment records are inconsistent

Why Choose Superior Consulting

Superior Consulting has provided immigration and business-mobility support since 2004.

  • Preliminary L-1A or L-1B assessment
  • Corporate-relationship review
  • New-office strategy
  • Business-plan preparation support
  • Executive and managerial duty analysis
  • Specialised-knowledge evidence planning
  • Company-document checklist
  • Petition-package coordination
  • Form assistance
  • Consular interview preparation
  • Family application support
  • Coordination with licensed U.S. professionals where required

No ethical consultancy can guarantee a sponsor licence, visa approval, business success or future settlement.

Contact us today to begin your

USA L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visa
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Start Your L-1 Visa Assessment

Send:

  1. Updated CV
  2. Foreign company registration documents
  3. Ownership and shareholder details
  4. Company financial statements
  5. Number of employees
  6. Applicant’s position and duties
  7. Length of employment abroad
  8. Proposed U.S. business activity
  9. Available expansion funds
  10. Existing U.S. company details, if any
  11. Business plan, if available
 

Contact Superior Consulting

Superior Head Office Karachi Details:

Pakistan UAN: (021) 111-002-345
Karachi Lines: +92-21-35658107 to 09
Additional Lines: +92-21-35657361 and 35657362
Mobile: +92 334 3522967
WhatsApp: +92 334 3522967
Email: info@superior.com.pk

 
Dubai Office Details:

Call or WhatsApp: +971 56 171 2877
Alternative UAE contact: +971 50 947 6307

Send Us Email: info@superiorglobal.ae

Superior Global Website

 
Book a Professional Consultation

A 30-minute professional consultation is available for PKR 5,000. The consultation fee is adjustable against our professional service fee when you retain Superior Consulting within 30 days, subject to the applicable terms.

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FAQS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The related U.S. company must petition for the applicant and offer a qualifying position.

No. Eligible executives, managers and specialist employees may qualify without owning the business.

Yes, potentially, provided the corporate relationship, overseas employment and U.S. position meet the L-1 requirements.

There is no single minimum company age stated for every case, but the applicant must normally have completed one continuous year of qualifying employment abroad during the preceding three years.

No fixed statutory investment applies. A new-office case must nevertheless show sufficient funds to establish and operate the U.S. business.

Yes. A qualifying overseas company may transfer an executive or manager to establish a related U.S. operation.

A qualifying spouse in L-2S status is generally authorised to work.

No. Some L-1A managers or executives may later qualify separately for EB-1C.

Important Disclaimer

U.S. immigration laws, USCIS fees, processing procedures and visa reciprocity schedules may change.