Does the foreign company need to be in the same line of business as the U.S. company?

No. For the L-1 visa, what must be established is the corporate relationship between the foreign entity and the U.S. operation, not that both operate in exactly the same line of business. There is no requirement for an identical industry match.

The L-1 was designed to transfer executives, managers, or specialized knowledge employees within the same corporate group, which may include a parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate here and abroad. The focus of the analysis is the qualifying connection between the entities and the fact that both are operating on a continuous basis.

• The essential element is the corporate relationship among the group’s entities.
• Operating in the same sector is not required.
• Differences in business lines should be thoroughly documented.

In practice, companies within the same group often operate in related areas, which strengthens the rationale for the transfer. Because each case is evaluated individually, it is worth documenting the relationship carefully and confirming updated requirements with official sources or a qualified specialist.

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.