Like the H-1B visa, an L-1 visa allows for a grace period of up to 60 days. All the options discussed above remain the same except unlike an H-1B visa holder, an L-1 non-immigrant employee does not have the option to change their employer using the L-1 visa within the said period. However, an L-1 visa holder can have the option to change their visa status to H-1B.
In case you need assistance with financing, Stilt is always here for you. We provide specific financing offers for visa holders in the US. The validity of your visa entails the time you can stay in the US and continue working. When the time frame indicated there is prone to expire, your employer might choose to file for an extension. In case the extension is approved by the US embassy, you may prolong your stay in the US.
The process for obtaining an L1 visa extension is very similar to the process involved with getting the initial L1 visa. Essentially, your employer just needs to file a separate petition on your behalf before the departure date on your I-94 expires. While this may seem like a golden opportunity to overturn the USCIS’s L-1 visa denial and gain approval, it is important to have your facts in order by having them compiled by an attorney that knows immigration law inside and out. Appealing to the AAO often takes at least six months and generally results in an affirmation of the previous denial by the USCIS. Because of this, choosing to appeal to the AAO is usually not recommended.
You’ll also need evidence showing your physical presence outside the country. Examples include boarding passes, plane tickets, passport stamps and other records of your departure. If you are already on L1 visa status and have almost completed your initial three-year stint in the U.S., then you may want to file for an L1 extension.
If you use advance parole to re-enter, however, you will no longer be in L status; rather, you will be in parolee status. One of the advantages of the L1 visa is that there is no limit to the number of petitions approved every year. As such, the USCIS cannot deny you on the basis of a cap being reached. This is advantageous compared to the H1B visa that has a regular cap of 65,000 with an extra 20,000 reserved for master’s exemption. With an H1B visa, you should have at the minimum a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
UpCounsel is an interactive online service that makes it faster and easier for businesses to find and hire legal help solely based on their preferences. We are not a law firm, do not provide any legal services, legal advice or “lawyer referral services” and do not provide or participate in any legal representation. The major requirement is that the employee who receives an L-1A visa must have worked for the company for at least one year in an executive or managerial role. An L-1A visa is for managers or executives while an L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge. The blanket petition has been designed to assist large businesses in obtaining USCIS approval and transferring numerous people on L1 visas to the United States.
Click Here to Send an Email to William, if you have any questions about L-1 visa, L-1 visa requirements, L-1 visa application or extension process, or how to get an U.S. green card with a L-1 visa. We offer general advice on common L-1 visa application or extension related questions, and will reply to your questions in a timely manner. If you have any questions or comments about your L-1 visa application or extension, please do not hesitate to send us an email. Subject employers do not need to include the $4,000 or $4,500 fee each time an H-1B visa or L-1 visa petition is filed to USCIS.
If your country has one or more offices abroad, you might be able to utilize the L-1 visa. As part of an L visa petition, the employer needs to show the legitimate relationship between the U.S. company and the company abroad, which usually requires a fairly extensive amount of documentation. However, for larger companies that fulfill a number of additional requirements, there is the option to apply for a “Blanket Petition,” which we will discuss below. The L-1 Visa Reform Act also reinstates the requirement that all L-1 employees work for the qualifying foreign employer for one year out of the past three years, prior to coming to the U.S. on L-1 status.
It can be provided to different position holders in the company, such as a manager, executive, or any other person with specialized knowledge. The company that the person is transferred to in the US must be a subsidiary, an affiliate, a branch office, or a parent branch of the foreign company. Once transferred, the employee gets immigration benefits for the family, as well.
Some visas even allow unlimited extensions such as the O-1 and E2 visas — however, L1 visa holders must deal with the limit that they are only granted one extension after their first three years of stay. Past l1b visa requirements , they must then either change their visa status or apply for another L1 visa. The L1A visa is for executives and managers, while the L1-B visa is for workers with specialized knowledge. International companies can transfer their employees under these two categories of visas. The U.S.C.I.S. has provided a special set of procedures to be used by companies that are frequent users of the L-1 visa category and are large multi-national organizations.