L-1

Intracompany Transfer
Work Visa

The L-1 visa enables multinational companies to transfer employees from their foreign offices to the United States. L-1A covers managers and executives; L-1B covers workers with specialized knowledge. It is a common bridge to the EB-1C green card for qualifying managers and executives.

Automate L-1 workflows
Quick facts
FormI-129 with L Supplement
TypeNonimmigrant (work visa)
L-1A initial period3 years (7 years max)
L-1B initial period3 years (5 years max)
New office initial period1 year only
Premium processing15 business days ($2,965)
Path to green cardEB-1C (L-1A managers)

Automate your
L-1 case workflow

Astrea documents corporate relationships, verifies qualifying employment history, prepares I-129 filings, and tracks EB-1C transition timelines — across your entire L-1 caseload.

No spam. Early access + special launch pricing.
✓ You're on the list! We'll be in touch.
Something went wrong. Please try again.

What is the L-1 visa?

The L-1 intracompany transferee visa allows a qualifying organization to transfer an employee from one of its foreign affiliates, subsidiaries, parents, or branches to the United States. The employee must have worked for the qualifying organization abroad for at least 1 continuous year within the past 3 years in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity. L-1A (managers/executives) holders can convert to EB-1C green card status without requiring a PERM labor certification, making L-1A one of the most direct employment-based routes to permanent residency for corporate employees.

🏢
L-1A — Managers & Executives
Must manage an organization, department, or function — or have the authority to make high-level decisions without routine supervision. Qualifying for L-1A sets up the EB-1C green card pathway. Initial period is up to 3 years; maximum 7 years.
🔑
L-1B — Specialized Knowledge
Must possess special knowledge of the company's products, services, research, systems, or procedures. USCIS scrutinizes L-1B heavily — the knowledge must be truly proprietary or advanced, not just above average. Maximum 5 years.
🌐
Qualifying Organization Required
The US and foreign entities must share common ownership and control — parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch relationship. New office petitions are granted for only 1 year initially; renewal requires demonstrating the US office is established and operating.

How the L-1 process works

01
Confirm qualifying relationship between entities
Document the corporate relationship between the US and foreign entity — ownership percentages, organizational charts, articles of incorporation, and evidence of common control. This is foundational for every L-1 petition.
02
Verify the employee's qualifying year abroad
Confirm the beneficiary worked continuously for the qualifying organization abroad for 1 year within the past 3 years. Gather employment verification letters, payroll records, tax documents, and organizational charts showing the prior role.
03
Define the US role as managerial, executive, or specialized
Draft a detailed job description for the US position. For L-1A, clearly articulate managerial/executive duties. For L-1B, define what specialized knowledge the employee possesses and how it will be applied. Vague descriptions are a primary cause of RFEs.
04
File Form I-129 with USCIS
Submit with the L Classification Supplement. Individual petitions are filed per employee; large companies may use the Blanket L petition for streamlined consular processing of multiple transferees without individual USCIS adjudication.
05
L-1A to EB-1C green card transition
L-1A holders in a managerial or executive role can file for EB-1C after 1 year in the US (or concurrently with the L-1A). The EB-1C requires no PERM and is first preference, often with current priority dates — making this one of the fastest green card paths for corporate executives.

L-1 FAQ

What is a "new office" L-1 and why is it limited to 1 year?

A new office L-1 is granted when the US entity has been operating for less than 1 year and is still establishing itself. USCIS grants only a 1-year initial period because the office's viability hasn't been proven. At renewal, the petitioner must demonstrate sufficient physical premises, growing revenue, and staff — requirements that can trip up underprepared cases. See USCIS L-1A guidance.

Can an L-1B holder convert to a green card?

L-1B holders can pursue EB-2 or EB-3 green cards (which require PERM labor certification) or, if they are promoted to a managerial/executive position, EB-1C. There is no direct self-petition path from L-1B equivalent to EB-1C — the green card route depends on the specific role and qualifications acquired during the L-1B period.

What is a Blanket L petition?

Large qualifying organizations with multiple transferees can file a Blanket L petition, which pre-certifies the company and its qualifying relationships. Individual employees then use Form I-129S at the US consulate without separate USCIS adjudication. Blanket L is available to companies with at least 3 L approvals in the past year, or US affiliates/subsidiaries with $25M+ in US sales or 1,000+ US employees.

How does L-1A connect to the EB-1C green card?

The EB-1C green card requires the same managerial/executive capacity as L-1A. An L-1A holder who meets the EB-1C standard can file I-140 after 1 year at the US affiliate. Since EB-1C is first preference and requires no PERM, it often has current priority dates — making the L-1A → EB-1C path one of the fastest corporate green card routes for most nationalities.