Can I apply for L-1 if the parent company is in the U.S. and the branch is abroad?

Yes. The L-1 visa was created to transfer employees between companies with a corporate relationship, such as parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. What matters is not which of the two is located in the United States, but rather that a legitimate and well-documented business relationship exists between the foreign company and the U.S. company.

In the scenario where the parent company is in the U.S. and the branch is abroad, the L-1 is available: the employee is transferred from the foreign entity to the U.S. one, provided it can be demonstrated that both are part of the same corporate group. The ownership structure must be clearly established in the supporting documentation.

• Legitimate corporate tie between the foreign company and the U.S. company.
• The employee’s prior experience at the foreign company, within the required qualifying period.
• Transfer to an executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge position.

Each corporate structure has its own particularities, and the way to establish the qualifying relationship varies case by case. Confirm the current requirements on the official USCIS website and review the documentation with a specialist before filing.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.