Do I need to remain employed by the foreign company throughout my L-1?

No. Employment with the foreign company is required to qualify for the L-1, but it does not need to continue for the entire duration of the visa. To qualify, you must have completed a qualifying period of work with the affiliated entity abroad before filing the petition.

Once the L-1 is granted and you are in the United States, what matters is that you continue performing your duties here, within the same company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. The direct tie to the foreign operation serves the initial qualification; after that, the focus shifts to your activities in the US.

• Time worked abroad counts toward qualifying for the visa.
• After the visa is granted, the focus shifts to your work in the US within the same corporate group.
• The legitimate corporate relationship between the operations must remain in place.

Changes in the company’s structure can affect your status, so it is worth confirming the current requirements with USCIS or a specialist if anything changes in your corporate relationship.

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.