The L1 visa (Intracompany Transfer Work Visa) is a non-immigrant visa, which allows companies operating both in the US and abroad to transfer executives, managers, and employees with specialized skills from the foreign company to a US based operation to perform temporary services up to seven years. If the applicant is already in the United States, a change of status might be possible without leaving the country and having to apply for the L-1 Visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.
L1 Visa overview
The employee must have worked for a branch office, parent, subsidiary or affiliate of the US Company outside of the US for at least one year out of the last three years prior to the submission of the application of the L1 visa. The applicant must come to the U.S. to continue working for the same employer. He or she must also be working in the position of a manager, executive or other capacity that requires specialized knowledge.
It is very common for global multinational corporations to constantly transfer their staff from abroad branches to their U.S. offices. The L1 visa was created by the Congress to facilitate this transfer of employees.
L1 visas are typically granted for a period of three years, after which the employee can apply for an extension of up to four years for managers and executives and up to two years for specialized workers. At the expiration of the extension the foreigner must stay abroad for at least one year before being able to apply for another L1 visa for the US. It is an important point that the time spent in prior H status and the time period of the L-1 status and are added together. The total time spent in the US on either H or L1 visas must not exceed 7 years.
For companies transferring several employees to the US it is possible to apply for a blanket L1. Each employee can use a copy of the approved notice and get an L1 visa directly at his or her US consulate. This will save the company significant time.