Short answer
What is the L-1 visa?
The L-1 allows a multinational company to transfer an employee from a qualifying foreign office to its U.S. parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. L-1A covers managers and executives; L-1B covers employees with specialized knowledge. The employee must have worked for the foreign entity continuously for one year within the three years before applying for admission.
Sources: INA § 101(a)(15)(L); 8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(A)–(D), (G)–(L).
Comparison
L-1A vs L-1B: Understanding the Difference
L-1 has two subcategories based on the employee's role and expertise.
Feature
L-1A (Executive/Manager)
L-1B (Specialized Knowledge)
Position Type
Executive or Manager
Specialized Knowledge
Initial Duration
Up to 3 years (new office: 1 year)
Up to 3 years (new office: 1 year)
Maximum Stay
7 years total
5 years total
Green Card Path
EB-1C (no labor cert)
Usually EB-2 or EB-3 (with PERM)
Qualifying Period
1 year with foreign entity in last 3 years
1 year with foreign entity in last 3 years
Video Overview
L-1, explained in two minutes
Why Companies Choose L-1
Why Companies Choose L-1
Global Mobility
Transfer key personnel from international offices to U.S. operations without H-1B lottery uncertainty.
Dual Intent
L-1 allows dual intent, making it easier to pursue permanent residency (EB-1C for executives).
New Office L-1
Transfer executives, managers, or specialized knowledge employees to a U.S. office that has been doing business for less than a year. Physical premises must already be secured.
Scalable Solution
Blanket L petition for qualifying companies enables streamlined processing for multiple employees.
L-1A Requirements
L-1A Requirements
For executives and managers transferring to U.S. operations
Qualifying Relationship
U.S. entity must be parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch of foreign company.
Foreign Employment
Must have worked for foreign entity continuously for 1 year within past 3 years.
Executive Capacity
Directs management of organization or major component/function.
Managerial Capacity
Manages the organization or a department, function, or component, and either supervises supervisory, professional, or managerial employees or manages an essential function.
L-1A to EB-1C Green Card Pathway
L-1A managers and executives may qualify for an EB-1C green card, which needs no labor certification (PERM). The U.S. employer must have been doing business for at least one year, and the required year of managerial or executive work abroad is counted in the three years before you entered the United States as a nonimmigrant (8 CFR 204.5(j)(3)(i)). An L-1A approval is relevant, but it does not decide the EB-1C petition (USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 6, Part F, Ch. 4).
L-1B Requirements
L-1B Requirements
For employees with specialized knowledge of company operations
Specialized Knowledge
Special knowledge of the company's product, service, research, equipment, techniques, management, or other interests and its application in international markets.
Advanced Knowledge
Or an advanced level of knowledge or expertise in the company's processes and procedures.
Not Commonly Held
The knowledge ordinarily must not be commonly held throughout the industry. It does not need to be proprietary or unique.
What Qualifies as "Specialized Knowledge"?
USCIS compares the employee's knowledge with that of others in the company and the industry. The knowledge ordinarily must not be commonly held throughout the industry. It does not need to be proprietary, unique, or narrowly held, and there is no test of the U.S. labor market (8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(D); USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 2, Part L, Ch. 4). Evidence often includes:
- Knowledge of the company's own software, systems, or processes
- Advanced knowledge of company's specific products or methodologies
- Knowledge that cannot easily be transferred or taught to another person without significant cost or delay
Blanket L
Blanket L Petition for Qualifying Organizations
Large multinational companies can obtain a blanket L approval for streamlined processing
Benefits of Blanket L
Eligibility Requirements:
- • Engaged in commercial trade or services, with a U.S. office doing business for 1+ year
- • 3+ U.S. and foreign branches/affiliates
- • $25M+ combined annual sales, OR
- • 1,000+ employees in U.S., OR
- • 10+ L-1 approvals in past 12 months
Advantages:
- • No individual USCIS petition for each transfer
- • Reduces administrative burden
- • Valid for 3 years, renewable indefinitely
- • Streamlined compliance
New Office L-1
New Office L-1
Opening a new U.S. office or subsidiary? Transfer executives/managers before operations are fully established.
Initial Approval Period
New office L-1 petitions are initially approved for 1 year (vs. 3 years for established offices).
After first year, can apply for 2-year extension if business is operational
Additional Documentation
- • Detailed business plan
- • Evidence of secured physical premises
- • Financial projections
- • Organizational structure plans
- • Proof of sufficient funding
Representative Matters
Success Stories
Tech Company Manager
Engineering manager transferred from India office to manage U.S. team. L-1A approved, pursued EB-1C for green card. Entire family obtained permanent residency within 2 years.
Specialized Software Architect
Senior engineer with proprietary knowledge of company's core platform. L-1B approved for specialized knowledge of custom technology stack.
Startup Founder
Founder of foreign tech company opening U.S. subsidiary. New office L-1A approved with detailed business plan and evidence of foreign operations.
*Case details anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Results may vary based on individual circumstances.
Representative matters; outcomes vary with the facts of each case. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Services
L-1 Counsel for Companies
Individual L-1 Petitions
Comprehensive L-1A and L-1B petition preparation including:
- • Eligibility assessment
- • Petition drafting and documentation
- • RFE response (if needed)
- • Consular processing support
- • Extension and renewal petitions
Blanket L Program Setup
End-to-end blanket L petition services:
- • Eligibility evaluation
- • Initial blanket petition preparation
- • Policy and procedure development
- • Ongoing compliance support
- • Renewal petitions
L-1 to EB-1C Green Card
Strategic planning for L-1A executives/managers:
- • EB-1C eligibility assessment
- • Timing strategy for green card filing
- • I-140 petition preparation
- • Family immigration planning
Compliance & Site Visits
Proactive compliance management:
- • Site visit preparation
- • I-9 audits
- • Policy review and updates
- • Staff training on compliance
Investment
Case-Specific Quotes
Individual L-1
Contact for a quote
Attorney fees are quoted per petition
+ $1,385 USCIS filing fee + $600 Asylum Program Fee + $2,965 premium processing (optional)
Standard-employer paper-filing fees shown. Small employers (25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees) pay a $695 base fee and a $300 Asylum Program Fee. Nonprofits pay a $695 base fee and no Asylum Program Fee. An initial L-1 petition, or a petition for a worker changing employers, also carries a $500 Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee. Employers with 50 or more U.S. employees, more than half of them in H-1B or L status, pay an additional $4,500 on petitions filed through Sept. 30, 2027 (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)(12); 8 CFR 106.2(a)(3)(vi), (ix), (c)(5), (c)(9), (c)(13)). Fees per USCIS Form G-1055 (ed. 10/16/26).
Blanket L Program
Custom Quote
Based on company size and needs
Includes setup, policy development, and ongoing support
Filing Form I-129 after November 9, 2026
Since Nov. 9, 2026, USCIS accepts only the 09/09/26 edition of Form I-129. The earlier 02/27/26 edition is no longer accepted, and every page of a paper filing must come from the same edition.
USCIS changed the I-129 mail filing locations on Oct. 7, 2026. Its grace period for petitions sent to a prior location covered only those postmarked on or before Nov. 9, 2026. Paper petitions now go to the current address for the classification and filing reason.
Some practitioners reported that the online Form I-129 still showed the earlier edition on Nov. 10, 2026. If you file online, check the edition shown before you submit.
Sources: USCIS, Form I-129 page and Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129.
Volume discounts available for companies with multiple transfers
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the L-1 visa?
The L-1 allows a multinational company to transfer an employee from a qualifying foreign office to its U.S. parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. L-1A covers managers and executives; L-1B covers employees with specialized knowledge.
Sources: INA § 101(a)(15)(L); 8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(A)–(D).
What are the basic L-1 requirements?
The U.S. and foreign entities must have a qualifying relationship (parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate) and be doing business. The employee must have worked for the foreign entity continuously for one year within the three years before applying for admission, and must be coming to work in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.
Sources: 8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(A), (G)–(L).
What counts as specialized knowledge for an L-1B?
Special knowledge of the company’s product, service, research, equipment, techniques, management, or other interests and its application in international markets, or an advanced level of knowledge or expertise in the company’s processes and procedures.
Sources: 8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(D).
How long can I stay in L-1 status?
Up to seven years in total for L-1A managers and executives, and up to five years for L-1B specialized knowledge employees. A petition for someone coming to open or work in a new U.S. office may be approved for no more than one year at first, after which the company must show it is doing business in order to extend.
Sources: 8 CFR 214.2(l)(12)(i), (l)(7)(i)(A)(3).
What is a blanket L petition?
A blanket petition lets an eligible company establish its qualifying organizations once, rather than proving the corporate relationship in every individual case. To qualify, the company and its entities must be engaged in commercial trade or services, have a U.S. office that has been doing business for at least one year, and have three or more domestic and foreign branches, subsidiaries, or affiliates. They must also have had at least ten L petitions approved in the previous 12 months, have U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates with combined annual sales of at least $25 million, or have a U.S. workforce of at least 1,000 employees.
Sources: 8 CFR 214.2(l)(4)(i).
Can my spouse work in the United States?
Yes. By statute, the spouse of an L-1 worker who is in L-2 status is authorized to work in the United States. This provision covers spouses, not children.
Sources: INA § 214(c)(2)(E).
Can I pursue a green card while on an L-1?
Yes. Seeking permanent residence is not a basis for denying an L-1 petition, an extension, or admission, provided you intend to depart voluntarily at the end of your authorized stay. Managers and executives may qualify for the EB-1C multinational manager or executive category, which requires a U.S. employer to file the petition but no labor certification. L-1B employees generally use other employment-based categories, such as EB-2 or EB-3 with labor certification.
Sources: 8 CFR 214.2(l)(16); INA § 203(b)(1)(C); 8 CFR 204.5(j)(1), (j)(5).
Related Articles
New Office L-1: Opening Your First U.S. Office
What the petition must show, what the one-year extension requires, and what courts have said about small offices.
Read MoreEB-1C Green Card for Multinational Managers
The green card path for L-1A managers and executives: requirements, who can file, and timing.
Read MoreL-1B Specialized Knowledge: What USCIS Looks For
How USCIS judges specialized knowledge, what it does not require, and the rules for client-site work and time limits.
Read MoreAll L-1 guides
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