L-1A and L-1B
INTRACOMPANY TRANSFEREE
The L-1 visa is the most commonly used visa to accomplish the
transfer of key employees among an international group of companies. In most instances, qualified persons can obtain their
visa within two months after their employer files a complete petition with the
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
To be qualified, the worker must have worked for same company overseas, for at least 1 year in a qualifying capacity before transferring to U.S. payroll.
There are two kind of L1 visas:
L-1A: For Executive or Managerial positions. This class of Visa is initially valid for 3 years, can extend for 2 years, then can extend one additional time for 2 years (grand total of 7 years).
L-1B: Worker with Specialized Knowledge. Visa is initially valid for 3 years, can extend for 2 years (grand total of 5 years).
The L-1 Petition is usually submitted through the INS Service Center. Some L-1 Petitions may be eligible for Consular processing provided certain criteria is met.
Spouses/children who are also Foreign Nationals, do not have the legal right to work in the U.S. as a dependant of an L-1/L-2 worker - although it is permissible for them to attend school.
Types of Visas