If you wish to qualify for the L-1 Visa, you must meet four requirements. The L-1 visa will allow a manager or executive to transfer from working in an affiliated foreign office to an office in the U.S. The four requirements for this program are,
1. The petitioning U. S. entity must have a qualifying relationship with your entity abroad
- The foreign office you worked at must have a corporate relationship with the U.S. based office
o This can be as a parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or branch
- Your position in the foreign office must have been as a manager, executive, or worker with specialized knowledge
2. Sufficient physical space must be secured for a new office
- Must be secured through lease, purchase, or other means
- What is a sufficient amount of physical space depends on the nature of the business
3. A new office must be active and operating within one year after the L-1’s admission to the U. S. if requesting an extension of stay
- If the business is a new one opening in the U.S., there is a one year period that is given for the business to be open and running
- Generally, what consists of an “active and operating” business is,
o The hiring of staff
o Satisfying contract orders
o Having an income
o Holding inventory
4. After one year the new office must support a managerial or executive position if you are requesting an extension of stay in the L-1A classification
- once the one year period is up, the new office must be able to support the manager, executive, or person with specialized knowledge
o They must be working in their roles and focus on being a manager or executive
If you require further information or assistance regarding the L-1 Visa, at Akrami & Associates, our experienced legal representatives will be glad to assist you. Call us today to find out how we can help.