Does the foreign company need to own 100% of the U.S. company?

No. For the L visa, the foreign company does not need to own 100% of the U.S. entity. What is required is a qualifying corporate relationship between them, not a specific ownership percentage.

In practice, the connection can take several forms, as long as sufficient ownership or control exists to establish that both entities are part of the same organization:

• Parent company and branch.
• Company and subsidiary.
• Affiliates under common control.

The decisive factor is demonstrating that the operations are interconnected and that the foreign company controls or influences the U.S. entity. Since corporate structures vary case by case, it is important to support the relationship with corporate documents and verify current requirements with USCIS.

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.