L-1A

Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager

The Atlanta business immigration lawyers at Garvish Immigration Law Group provide employment-based immigration services and have helped countless companies obtain non-immigrant L-1A approvals for multinational executives and managers.  

Our attorneys understand how to navigate the complexities of the L-1A visa process and will guide you through the journey step-by-step. 

Call Now to schedule your consultation with one of our trusted immigration attorneys.

The L-1A visa allows U.S. employers to transfer managers or executives from one of their offices abroad to their office in the U.S. These offices must have a qualified relationship (parent, subsidiary, affiliate). The L-1A visa also enables foreign corporations to transfer an executive or manager to establish a new office in the United States. Foreign nationals who transfer to the U.S. are allowed to bring their families with them on L-2 visas. It also enables foreign corporations to transfer an executive or manager to establish a new office in the United States.

The L-1A visa can be an excellent option for employers with an active office in the U.S. or those who desire to establish a new office in the U.S. The benefits of the L-1A business visa classification include: 

• No specific education requirement in comparison to other visa classifications (like the H-1B) 
• There are no limits on how many L-1A visas can be granted 
• 3-7 year stay 
• Spouses and dependents of L-1A visa holders can work in the U.S. 
• L-1A holders can pursue permanent residency and citizenship based on the EB-1 category (multinational executives/managers)

Additionally, the L-1A visa offers employers many benefits including the ability to establish a new office, blanket petition options, and the lack of labor condition requirements. It’s important to note that L-1A visas can’t be extended after an employee reaches the maximum allowable stay of seven years. 

Both the employer and employee must meet specific requirements to be eligible for an L-1A visa. They include but are not limited to the following conditions: 

• Employers: Must have a qualifying relationship with a foreign corporation and must be doing or will be conducting business as an employer in the U.S. and another country simultaneously.

• Employees: Must have worked continuously for their employer abroad for at least one year within the last three years and must be entering the U.S. to provide qualifying services within a managerial or executive capacity for a U.S.-based branch. 

Generally, executive capacity refers to an employee’s ability to make high-level business-related decisions without much input from others. Further, managerial capacity refers to an employee’s ability to manage the work of employees within the U.S. branch, division, etc., without the direct supervision of another employee. 

There are still many steps that employers and employees must complete. They include:

1. Obtain a transfer offer from a qualifying employer 
2. Complete and file Form I-129, then pay the fees (by the employer) 
3. File Form DS-160, then pay the L-1A visa application fee 
4. Schedule the immigration interview and submit required documents 
5. Attend the L-1A interview
6. Await a decision 

If you have questions about the L1-A nonimmigrant visa application process, contact Garvish Immigration Law Group today to speak with an experienced Atlanta business immigration lawyer you can trust.