Can I park my money in the U.S. and not work on an L-1?

No. The L-1 is a visa for intracompany transferees within a multinational organization and requires the holder to actively perform the role that justified its approval. It was not designed to simply hold financial assets in the United States without working.

L-1 status is tied to the holder’s active performance at the sponsoring company. If a person enters on this visa but does not carry out the duties of an executive, manager, or specialized knowledge professional that formed the basis of the petition, this can be interpreted as use inconsistent with the purpose of the visa and may have consequences for that status.

If your primary goal is to invest or manage money in the U.S. rather than work at a branch or subsidiary, it makes more sense to explore visa categories designed for investors, each with its own requirements.

Since each situation is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, it is worth confirming current requirements with official sources (USCIS) and evaluating your profile with a specialist before making a decision.

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.