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L-1A Visa

The L-1A Visa is a nonimmigrant visa allowing U.S. employers to transfer executives or managers from affiliated foreign offices to the U.S. or enabling foreign companies to send such employees to establish U.S. operations. It is popular among startup investors expanding their business to the U.S. using Form I-129.

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Eligibility Requirements
Qualifications of the Employer:
  • Must have a qualifying relationship with a foreign entity (e.g., parent company, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch) recognized by USCIS.
  • Must be, or will be, conducting business as an employer in the U.S. and at least one other country for the duration of the L-1A Visa holder’s stay.
Qualifications of the Employee:
  • Must have worked for the qualifying foreign entity in an executive or managerial capacity for at least one continuous year within the three years preceding the U.S. entry.
  • Must be employed in an executive or managerial role at the U.S. entity (parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch) during their stay.

Family Members

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may accompany L-1A Visa holders on an L-2 Visa, valid for the same duration as the L-1A Visa. L-2 spouses may apply for work authorization using Form I-765, and L-2 holders may study full-time or part-time.

What is the duration of stay for an L-1A Visa?
For establishing a new U.S. office, the initial L-1A Visa stay is up to one year. For transfers to an existing U.S. office, the initial stay is up to three years. Extensions can extend the total stay up to seven years.
Yes, extensions are granted in two-year increments, up to a maximum total stay of seven years, using Form I-129.
Yes, family members can apply for a change of status or extension of stay on L-2 using Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.
Yes, your spouse can work in the U.S. on L-2 status by applying for employment authorization using Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. There are no restrictions on the type of work they can do.
Yes, for new U.S. offices:
  • The employer must secure a physical office space for operations.
  • The employee must have worked as an executive or manager for the foreign entity for at least one continuous year within the prior three years.
  • The new U.S. office must be able to financially support the executive or managerial position within one year of L-1A approval.
For details, visit USCIS’s L-1A Page.

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