L1 Visa Requirement Documents For the US

Employers wishing to move staff from overseas offices to the US will find L1 visas to be a useful resource. It allows qualified individuals to contribute their knowledge and work in US operations for a three-year initial term, which can be extended upon meeting L1 visa requirement documents. Although getting an L1 visa may be time-consuming and difficult. So, we are here to assist you in knowing all the fundamentals of an L1 visa and facilitating a simple application process.

What Is an L1 Visa?

The L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. With the help of this visa, foreign employees can relocate their staff members to the United States temporarily. When granting an L1 visa, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) collaborates with the foreign company rather than the individual applicant. Additionally, employees may be able to extend this visa, subject to the terms of their L1 visa type, for an additional three years. People working in foreign and domestic offices for different organizations are eligible for L1 visas as well.

What Kinds of L1 Visas Are There?

There exist two primary categories of L1 visas for which you may be qualified to apply. Below mentioned are the two types of L1 Visas:

L-1A Visa

With the help of an L-1A visa foreign managers are permitted to get transfer to the United States Of America. Another name for it is the L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or the Manager Visa. Also, the L-1A visa holder is initially permitted to stay for 3 years in the nation, further which may be extended twice more to a maximum of seven years. To get the L-1A visa the managers and the executives are required to fill in the following requirements:

Regarding Executives

• Ensure the daily operations of the company are managed.
• Sets the company's policies, guidelines, and objectives.
• Possesses the power to decide on behalf of the company's stakeholders and board of directors.

For Managers

• The new workers are being appointed
• Has charge of an important department in the business.
• oversees the day-to-day activities of the organization. 

L-1B Visa

It also goes by the name L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge visa, making it easier for employees to transfer to the United States if they have specialized knowledge about the company.  Possessing advanced knowledge or expertise in the organization's technology, products, processes, and other crucial areas is having specialized knowledge. The L-1B visa allows a 5-year stay in the country, which includes 2 years of extended stay upon expiration of the initial 3 years.

What Qualifies a Person for an L1 Visa?

For an L1 visa, several prerequisites apply to both employers and employees. A thorough discussion of the same is provided below.

For Workers (L1 Applicant)

The eligibility requirements for an L1 visa for workers wishing to work in the US are as follows:

Working for an Organization
Candidates must currently work for a qualifying multinational corporation. The business must be a parent company, affiliate, subsidiary, or branch office of a US entity.

Work for a Year
Applicants must have worked continuously for a foreign company for at least a year in the previous year in order to be eligible for an L1 visa. In addition, the employment period must have taken place outside the United States of America.

Position of Qualification
Managers and executives with L-1A visas are required to report for duty in an executive or managerial position. Employees with specialized knowledge of the company's technology, products, and procedures are required to hold an L-1B visa.

For Employer (Sponsor)

For businesses looking to relocate staff or open branches in the US, the following are essential L1 visa requirement documents:

Qualifying Relationship
The US employer must have a qualifying relationship with the foreign company in order to apply for an L1 visa on behalf of individuals. The organization needs to demonstrate a sizable amount of ownership or control by the same parent company or entity.

American business
For employees to work there, the employer must have a functioning business in the United States and a physical location. A US entity must, however, present a strategy for supporting the roles of various employees to open a new office.

Employment Offer
On behalf of the employees, the US entity must apply for an L1 visa and make a legitimate job offer to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

What Visa Requirement Documents Are Needed When Applying For An L1 Visa?

The following is a list of the paperwork you will need to submit in order to apply for an L1 visa:

• A valid passport
• Two pictures by the US visa photo specifications
• The confirmation page and code for DS-160
• Fee receipts for the L1 visa
• Correspondence confirming the transfer and job description
• Employment verification that the sponsor company has employed you for at least one of the last three years
• Correspondence from former employers and contact details for supervisors
• Details of two employees' contacts from both current and former employers
• Qualifications for Education
• Income tax documentation
• Statements of payments
• An organizational chart displaying your role within the business
• Registration of patents and trademarks, if you have any specialized knowledge for your business

Final Thoughts

Thus, for skilled workers and multinational corporations to establish offices in the United States, an L1 visa is essential. With the EB1C classification, you will be able to convert your L1 visa to permanent residence after working in the nation for a maximum of seven years. Reach out to US Area Immigration Services and know more about the L1 Visa required documents right away!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long does it take to process an L1 visa?

An L1 visa will take two to four months to process. If you choose premium processing, on the other hand, you will know the status of your L1 visa in one to three weeks.

Can I use the status of my L1 visa to apply for a green card?

If you possess an L1 visa, then you are eligible to apply for a green card. However, the procedure for getting a green card varies depending on the L1 visa status type. The application process for an L-1A visa can take anywhere from eight months to a year to finish. However, it can take up to two years for holders of L-1B visas to finish the process.