Does the company need to be multinational to apply for an L-1?

The L-1 visa was created to facilitate the transfer of executives, managers, or specialized professionals between companies that are part of the same corporate group, assisting internal mobility within organizations that have a presence in different countries.

This visa category requires that the corporate structure involved meets certain relationship requirements between the foreign company and the U.S. branch or subsidiary. In general terms, to apply for the L-1 visa, the company does not need to be a multinational in the traditional sense of having an extensive global presence.

However, it is essential that there is a clear and proven connection between the foreign entity and the U.S. company, meaning they must be linked as parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate. This means that even if the international structure is not very large, the corporate relationship must be well defined and documented to demonstrate that the employee”s transfer occurs within the same corporate group.

It is important to emphasize that proving this structure and the ties between the companies is fundamental to the success of the application. Other criteria, such as the employee”s length of service at the foreign company-usually at least one year within the last three years-are also considered.

Thus, if the company wishing to transfer an employee does not demonstrate this relationship between its units, it will not meet the necessary requirements to obtain the L-1. Given how complex and detailed the process of proving corporate links and other visa requirements can be, it is always recommended to strictly follow U.S. immigration laws. Seeking information from official sources and consulting recognized specialists in the field can prevent troubles, fraud, and exposure to dubious marketing campaigns that promise miracle solutions.

This care is essential to ensure that any application is correctly submitted, in compliance with the established rules.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.