Are you a manager, executive, or a “specialized knowledge” employee – working for a foreign business entity?
Have you been working outside the U.S. for at least one continuous year within the past 3 years?
Is your company outside the US related to the business inside the U.S. you will establish? Will the foreign entity continue to do business?
Will you be coming to the US to open a new office location for your company? Will the new office be active and operating shortly after you arrive in the U.S. as an L-1 visa holder?
IF THE ANSWER IS YES TO THE ABOVE, THEN AN L-1 VISA MIGHT BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU.
Once you have determined that a L-1 visa is the right fit for you, there are several additional requirements:
The petitioning U.S. entity must have a qualifying relationship with your entity abroad.
Sufficient physical space must be secured for a new office.
A new office must be active and operating within one year of the L-1’s admission to the U.S. if requesting an extension of stay.
After 1 year the new office must support a managerial or executive position if you are requesting an extension of stay in the L-1A classification.
