L VISA CLASSIFICATION

The L-1 classification applies to intracompany transferees who meet the following requirements

1. Within the three preceding years, the transferee must have been employed outside of the U.S. continuously for at least one year with a branch, parent, affiliate, or subsidiary of the U.S. employer in a managerial, executive or specialized knowledge capacity;
2. The transferee must be employed in the U.S. in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity; and
3. The transferee must be qualified for the position by virtue of his or her prior education and experience.

Initial L-1 visa status may generally be approved for up to three years, and can be extended for up to a total of 7 years maximum stay for an L-1A for manager or executive transferees or 5 years for an L-1B specialized knowledge transferee. After the end of the maximum L-1 period of stay in the U.S., the candidate is barred from reentering the U.S. in either the H or L visa categories until he or she has resided outside of the U.S. for a full year. Spouses and children of L-1 workers are eligible for dependent visas in the L-2 classification. L-2 spouses can apply for employment authorization.

Frequent users of the L-1 visa category or large multinational companies may qualify for L-1 processing under the "Blanket L" program. The pre-employment period for Blanket L applications is reduced to six months. Once the multinational company is approved for the "Blanket L"" program, the Immigration Service stage of processing can be eliminated for all managerial and executive candidates. Blanket L processing is also available to specialized knowledge candidates who are also "professionals." The definition of professional is borrowed from the H-1B requirements, requiring generally a four-year university degree, however candidates without full university degrees may qualify from an academic evaluation by professional evaluators.