L-1 Visa for U.S. Employers: Transferring Managers and Key Staff
Attorney Advertising. Kyle Farmer, Farmer Law PC, Austin, TX.
General information, not legal advice. Law and USCIS pages checked October 29, 2026.
Short answer: The L-1 lets a U.S. employer transfer a manager, an executive or an employee with specialized knowledge from a related company abroad to work in the United States. The related company can be a parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate. The employee generally needs one continuous year of work for that company abroad within the last three years. L-1A covers managers and executives, for up to 7 years in total. L-1B covers employees with specialized knowledge, for up to 5 years in total.
Planning a transfer? Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Call. The intro call is a short introduction, not legal advice.
What the L-1 is
The L-1 is a temporary work visa for transfers inside one company group. It lets a business move a trusted employee from its operation abroad to its U.S. operation to keep working for the same employer.
- L-1A is for managers and executives. In general, a manager supervises the work of professional employees and manages the organization, a department or a key function. An executive generally makes broad decisions without much oversight.
- L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge. That means special knowledge of the company’s products, services, research, equipment, techniques or management, or an advanced level of knowledge of the company’s processes and procedures.
Who it’s generally for
- U.S. companies with a related company abroad that want to bring a manager, an executive or a key employee to the U.S. team.
- Foreign companies with U.S. operations that want to send leadership or key staff to run or support them.
- Foreign companies opening their first U.S. office. The L-1 can be used to send an employee to open a new office. The company needs to have secured office space, and the first approval for a new office is for up to one year.
Both the U.S. and the foreign companies need to be doing business, which means regularly providing goods or services. A new U.S. office can be just getting started, but it must be doing business during its first year to be extended. Having only an agent or an office is not enough.
L-1A and L-1B at a glance
| L-1A | L-1B | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Managers and executives | Employees with specialized knowledge |
| Who files | The U.S. employer, on Form I-129 | The U.S. employer, on Form I-129 |
| First approval | Up to 3 years (up to 1 year for a new office) | Up to 3 years (up to 1 year for a new office) |
| Extensions | Up to 2 years at a time | Up to 2 years at a time |
| Total time limit | 7 years | 5 years |
| Spouse and children | L-2 status; L-2 spouses can work | L-2 status; L-2 spouses can work |
Broad steps
- Confirm the company relationship. Show how the U.S. and foreign companies are related as parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate.
- Confirm the employee’s year with the company. The employee generally needs one continuous year of work for the related company abroad within the last three years.
- Gather the records. Ownership documents, proof both companies are doing business, the employee’s work history with the company and a description of the U.S. role.
- The U.S. employer files Form I-129 with USCIS. The employer is the petitioner; the employee does not file it.
- After approval, the employee applies for the L-1 visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, or, if already in the United States and eligible, receives L-1 status there.
USCIS filing fees change from time to time. Current amounts are on USCIS Form G-1055.
Ready to map out the transfer? Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Call or call (512) 588-5909.
Spouses and children
The employee’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 may come to the United States in L-2 status, generally for the same period as the employee. L-2 spouses are authorized to work incident to their status.
Green card planning
An L-1 employee can lawfully seek a green card while in L-1 status, as long as they intend to leave at the end of the authorized stay. Filing for a green card is not by itself a reason to deny an L-1 petition or extension.
For managers and executives, see our EB-1C green card page, our EB-1 overview and our L-1A to EB-1 green card guide. For more on the L-1A itself, see our L-1A visa page.
FAQ
Can a U.S. company transfer an employee from its office abroad on an L-1?
Yes, if the U.S. and foreign companies are related as parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate, both are doing business, and the employee has worked for the related company abroad for one continuous year within the last three years. The employee must be coming to work as a manager, an executive or an employee with specialized knowledge.
What is the difference between L-1A and L-1B?
L-1A is for managers and executives, with a total limit of 7 years. L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge, with a total limit of 5 years. Both start with up to 3 years and can be extended up to 2 years at a time.
Can a foreign company use the L-1 to open its first U.S. office?
Yes. The L-1 can be used to send an employee to open a new U.S. office. The company needs to have secured office space, and the first approval for a new office is for up to one year.
Who files the L-1 petition?
The U.S. employer files Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, with USCIS. The employee does not file it.
Can the L-1 employee’s spouse work in the United States?
Yes. The spouse and unmarried children under 21 may come in L-2 status, and L-2 spouses are authorized to work incident to their status.
Can an L-1 employee apply for a green card?
Yes. An L-1 employee can lawfully seek a green card while in L-1 status, as long as they intend to leave at the end of the authorized stay. For managers and executives, the EB-1C green card is one path to look at.
Talk with us about your case
Start with a free 15-minute intro call with Farmer Law PC. Our experienced attorneys work with U.S. employers and foreign companies on L-1 transfers. The intro call is a short introduction, not legal advice.
Book a Free 15-Minute Intro Call or call (512) 588-5909.
Sending the form or calling does not make you a client. Please don’t send confidential details until we confirm we can represent you.
Sources (checked 2026-10-29)
- INA 101(a)(15)(L), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(L)
- 8 CFR 214.2(l), Intracompany transferees
- USCIS: L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager
- USCIS: L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge
- USCIS: Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker
- USCIS: Form G-1055, Fee Schedule
Attorney Advertising. Kyle Farmer is the attorney responsible for this website. Farmer Law PC’s principal office is in Austin, Texas. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Using this site or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please don’t send confidential information until we confirm we can represent you. This article is general information, not legal advice.
