L-1 Visa Lawyers

Last Updated on: 11th October 2025, 11:05 am

L-1 Visa Lawyers

Thanks for visiting Spodek Law Group – a second-generation law firm managed by Todd Spodek. We have over 50 years of combined experience helping multinational companies transfer employees to the United States through L-1 visas. If you’re here, it’s because you’re a company transferring employees to a U.S. office or you’re an employee being transferred.

L-1 visas allow companies to transfer managers and executives (L-1A) or specialized knowledge employees (L-1B) from foreign offices to U.S. offices. No cap. No lottery. You can file anytime. But USCIS scrutinizes the qualifying relationship between companies and whether the employee truly qualifies as a manager, executive, or specialized knowledge worker.

L-1A vs L-1B

L-1A visas are for managers and executives. Managers supervise and control the work of professional employees or manage an essential function of the organization. Executives direct the management of the organization or a major component. L-1A is initially granted for three years and can be extended to seven years total.

L-1B visas are for specialized knowledge employees. Specialized knowledge means knowledge of the company’s product and its application in international markets, or advanced knowledge of the company’s processes and procedures. The knowledge must not be readily available in the U.S. labor market. L-1B is initially granted for three years and can be extended to five years total.

The distinction matters. L-1A holders can pursue EB-1C executive green cards without labor certification. L-1B holders face more limited green card options. We evaluate which category you qualify for and structure your petition accordingly.

Qualifying Relationship Requirement

The U.S. company and the foreign company must have a qualifying relationship – parent and subsidiary, branch and affiliate. The companies must be related through common ownership and control – at least 50% common ownership.

USCIS denies L-1 petitions when the qualifying relationship isn’t adequately documented. You need corporate documents proving ownership structure – stock certificates and operating agreements, organizational charts and tax returns. For new U.S. offices, USCIS wants proof the office has physical space and will support the executive or managerial position.

We help companies document qualifying relationships. We review corporate structures before filing. We gather the evidence USCIS requires.

Prior Employment Requirement

The employee must have worked for the foreign company for at least one continuous year within the three years immediately preceding the transfer. The employment must have been in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity.

USCIS scrutinizes gaps in employment. If you took six months off before the transfer, you might not meet the one-year requirement. We help companies time transfers correctly to meet this requirement.

L-1 Advantages Over H-1B

L-1 has no annual cap. H-1B is limited to 85,000 visas per year with a lottery. L-1 petitions can be filed anytime without worrying about timing or lottery odds.

L-2 spouses (dependents of L-1 holders) can obtain work authorization. H-4 spouses can only work if the H-1B holder has an approved I-140 immigrant petition. This makes L-1 more attractive for families.

L-1A holders have a direct path to EB-1C green cards for multinational managers and executives. No PERM labor certification required. This is the fastest employment-based green card path for executives.

L-1 Blanket Petitions

Large multinational companies can obtain L-1 blanket approval. Instead of filing individual petitions with USCIS for each employee, the company gets blanket approval. Then individual employees apply directly at U.S. consulates.

To qualify for blanket L-1, the company must have at least three U.S. and foreign offices, annual sales of $25 million or more, or at least 1,000 U.S. employees. The company must have obtained at least 10 L-1 approvals in the past 12 months.

Blanket L-1 dramatically speeds up processing for companies transferring multiple employees. We help qualifying companies obtain blanket approval.

New Office L-1

Companies establishing new U.S. offices can use L-1 to transfer executives or managers to set up the office. New office L-1s are initially granted for only one year instead of three years. After one year, you must show the U.S. office is operational and supports the executive or managerial position.

USCIS scrutinizes new office L-1s heavily. You need evidence the U.S. company has secured physical office space, the foreign company has the financial ability to support the U.S. office, and the U.S. company will support the transferred employee’s position within one year.

We handle new office L-1 cases regularly. We know what evidence USCIS requires. We help companies prepare for the one-year extension showing the office is operational.

Processing Timeline

Regular L-1 processing takes three to six months. Premium processing guarantees a response within fifteen business days for $2,805. Most companies use premium processing.

For L-1 blanket holders, employees apply at U.S. consulates and can be approved within weeks.

L-1 Extensions

L-1A can be extended up to seven years total. L-1B can be extended up to five years total. After reaching the maximum, you must work outside the U.S. for at least one year before you’re eligible for another L-1.

We file extension petitions several months before the current L-1 expires. Extensions require updated evidence of the qualifying relationship and the employee’s continued managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge role.

Path to Green Card

L-1A holders can pursue EB-1C green cards for multinational managers and executives. EB-1C requires the U.S. employer to have been doing business for at least one year and the employee to have worked abroad in a managerial or executive capacity for at least one year in the three years before entering the U.S.

EB-1C requires no PERM labor certification. Processing is much faster than EB-2 or EB-3. For executives and managers, L-1A to EB-1C is the best path to permanent residence.

L-1B holders typically pursue EB-2 or EB-3 green cards requiring PERM labor certification. The process takes longer.

Why We Handle These Cases

Todd Spodek is a second-generation attorney – his father practiced law before him. After graduating from Pace Law School, Todd started appearing in courts throughout New York daily. He’s represented clients in high-profile cases including Anna Delvey – the case that became a Netflix series. Our firm has been featured in The New York Times, Newsweek, Bloomberg.

We handle L-1 petitions for multinational companies across every industry. Tech companies and manufacturers, financial firms and consulting companies. Whether you’re establishing a new U.S. office or transferring employees to an existing office – call us. We’re available 24/7.