Florida Board Certified in Immigration & Nationality Law (Florida Bar Member #7439). When a multinational company moves an executive, manager, or specialized-knowledge employee to a U.S. office, the L-1 visa is the path. We handle L-1A, L-1B, blanket L-1 programs, and the increasingly important new-office L-1 for companies expanding into the United States.
L-1 fundamentals
L-1 requires three core things:
- Qualifying corporate relationship between the foreign and U.S. entity — parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate.
- One year of qualifying employment abroad within the past 3 years in an executive, managerial, or specialized-knowledge role.
- Same role abroad and in the U.S. — executive abroad becomes executive here; specialized knowledge stays specialized knowledge.
L-1A — Executive or Manager
For senior leadership: directing the management of an organization or major function, exercising wide latitude, supervising subordinate staff or function. Executives and managers must oversee a function or organization, not just perform tasks.
L-1A is granted for an initial 3 years, extendable to a maximum of 7 years. L-1A executives can self-sponsor for an EB-1C green card, often without PERM.
L-1B — Specialized Knowledge
For employees with knowledge of the company's products, services, research, equipment, techniques, or management — knowledge that is specialized and proprietary. The bar is meaningful: ordinary professional skill is not enough.
L-1B is granted for an initial 3 years, extendable to a maximum of 5 years.
New-office L-1
When the U.S. entity has been operating less than 1 year, the L-1 falls into the "new office" category. Initial approval is 1 year (not 3), and the petition must include:
- A detailed business plan with hiring projections.
- Evidence the company has secured premises and capital.
- Organizational charts showing how the role fits.
- Strong evidence the U.S. operation will become "doing business" — providing goods or services in a regular, systematic, and continuous way — within the first year.
At the 1-year extension, the U.S. company must show it has actually achieved the projections.
Blanket L-1
Large multinationals (3+ U.S. branches, certain volume thresholds) can obtain a blanket L-1 approval that lets individual employees apply for L-1 visas directly at consulates without filing separate I-129 petitions. This dramatically speeds up routine transfers but is not available to smaller companies.
L-2 spouse work authorization
L-2 spouses are now eligible for employment authorization incident to status (no separate EAD required for many) thanks to recent USCIS policy. This is one of the biggest practical advantages of L-1 over many other employment categories.
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Learn more →Frequently Asked — L-1A · L-1B · New Office · L-2
My company is opening a U.S. office. Can I come on L-1?
Yes, via "new office" L-1. The first approval is for 1 year (not the standard 3) and requires substantial documentation: detailed business plan, hiring projections, secured premises, capital evidence, organizational structure. At extension, the U.S. company must show it has actually scaled and is "doing business" in a regular and systematic way.
What counts as "specialized knowledge" for L-1B?
Specialized knowledge is more than typical professional or technical skill. It must be knowledge of the company's specific products, services, research, equipment, processes, procedures, or management — knowledge gained through significant time at the qualifying foreign employer. USCIS has tightened L-1B adjudication; we build the case with detailed declarations, training records, and product-specific expertise.
Can I get a green card while on L-1?
Yes — L-1 is dual intent. L-1A executives have a particularly favorable path via EB-1C (multinational manager/executive), which does not require PERM. L-1B employees typically pursue EB-2 PERM, EB-2 NIW, or EB-3.
My spouse wants to work — does L-2 allow that?
Yes. L-2 spouses are eligible for employment authorization incident to status; for many L-2 spouses, the work authorization document is the I-94 itself, no separate EAD required. This is a major advantage compared with H-4 dependents.
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