Who can apply for the L-1A?

The L-1A is the L-1 visa category for executives and managers who are transferred from a company abroad to a branch, subsidiary, parent, or affiliate in the United States. It serves organizations that want to bring their leadership to their U.S. operations.

To apply for the L-1A, two main blocks of requirements must be met: the relationship between the companies and the nature of the role performed.

• A qualifying corporate relationship must exist between the foreign company and the U.S. entity (parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate).
• The applicant must have served as an executive or manager at the foreign company for the required qualifying period prior to the transfer.
• The applicant must come to perform an executive or managerial function, with oversight of areas or departments or the authority to make strategic decisions.

Because the assessment takes into account professional history and company structure, each case is evaluated individually. Confirm current requirements on the official USCIS website and assess your eligibility with a specialist before filing.

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.