L-1 Visa
Types of L-1 Visa
L-1A: Executive or Manager
L-1B: Specialized Knowledge
The L-1B classification is designed for professional employees with specialized knowledge of a company or industry. An example of an employee with specialized knowledge would be one with proprietary knowledge about a company’s product who needs to travel to the U.S. to impart his or her specialized knowledge to new U.S. employees. As with an L-1A, companies that do not currently have an office in the United States can use the L-1B to transfer an employee with specialized knowledge to help establish one. The L-1B is issued initially for three years, with one two-year extension for a maximum stay of five years.
Spouse and unmarried children of L-1 can accompany the foreign national in L-2 status. L-2 spouses are eligible to work. One of the privileges of the L-1, as opposed to many other nonimmigrant visas, is that it is dual intent. In other words, an L-1 holder may apply for a green card and become a permanent resident without jeopardizing his or her L-1 status or visa applications from a U.S. consular office abroad. Another advantage is that visa numbers are almost always current if a previous L-1 holder applies for a green card by way of an EB-1C visa. Doing so translates to less time that the L-1 holder will have to wait for visa numbers to become available in order to apply for an adjustment of status via Form I-485 and receive a green card.
If you have any questions about the above or would like to learn more about L-1 visa eligibility requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us today. We are here to help you find the right solution for your immigration needs, which may be an L-1 visa. For more information on obtaining an L-1 visa, please contact an immigration attorney at Duke Seth today and schedule a consultation to discuss your case and learn more about your options.
