Temporary Nonimmigrant Work Visas

A nonimmigrant visa grants you temporary stay in the United States. When your visa expires, you must leave the United States unless you have applied for Legal Permanent Residency.

The L-1B nonimmigrant visa allows a U.S. employer to transfer a professional employee with specialized knowledge from a foreign company to the United States. A foreign company may also send an employee to the United States to help establish a U.S. office.

What is the L-1B Visa?

The L-1B visa is for intracompany transferees who have specialized knowledge of a company’s products, services, systems, or procedures.

It is used when a company has operations in both the United States and another country, or is expanding into the United States.

Employer Requirements for L-1B Visa

To qualify, the employer must:

• Have a qualifying relationship with a foreign company (branch, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate)
• Be doing business in the United States and at least one other country
• Continue operations during the transfer period

Employee Requirements for L-1B Visa

The employee must:

• Have worked for the foreign company for at least 1 continuous year within the last 3 years
• Be entering the United States to provide services in a specialized knowledge role
• Be transferred within the same organization

L-1B Visa Duration

• New office: up to 1 year initial stay
• Other cases: up to 3 years initial stay
• Extensions: up to 2 years per extension
• Maximum stay: 5 years total

Family of L-1B Visa Holders

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may be eligible for L-2 dependent visas.

Spouses of L-1 visa holders may apply for work authorization in the United States.

Total Dedication

Whether your immigration concern involves an L-1B intracompany transferee visa or another matter, you can rely on our experience and dedication.

Our immigration law firm assists with permanent residency, citizenship, marriage-based adjustment, work visas, deportation defense, asylum, and other immigration matters.

We also assist employers with H-1B visas, H-2B visas, B-1 business visas, student visas, and O-1 extraordinary ability visas.

Please contact us for more information so we may determine your best available option.