U.S. L 1 Visa: Intracompany Transferee Executive Or Manager

The U.S. L 1 Visa allows a U.S. company to transfer an executive or manager from a foreign office to a U.S. office for three years. It also allows a foreign company to send an executive or manager to the U.S. for one year for the purpose of setting up a new office. This is not a permanent residence (green card) program. The candidate can live and work in the U.S. on a temporary basis.

L 1 General Requirements: Employer

To qualify to use the L 1 visa, an employer must:

• Have a qualifying relationship with a foreign company (parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate); and
• Currently be, or to be in future, doing business as an employer in the U.S. and in at least one other country directly or through a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate for the duration of the candidate's stay in the U.S. While the business must be viable, there is no requirement that it be engaged in international trade.