Austin L-1 Visa Lawyer
In most cases, transferring an employee to different departments or areas within a company is a relatively straightforward process. If you are an employer and you want to bring a manager, executive, or specialist to your company and they are in another country, the process becomes much more complex. To do this, you must obtain an L-1A or L-1B visa. Below, our Austin L-1 Visa lawyer explains further.
L-1A Visas
L-1A visas allow companies to transfer managers and executives in foreign countries to an American branch of the company. Managers and executives who wish to set up a new department or branch of the company that does not yet exist can also obtain an L-1A visa. To apply, employers are required to file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and pay the associated fee on behalf of the employee.
Employers apply for L-1A visas on behalf of the employee, who is known as the beneficiary. Beneficiaries of L-1A visas must meet certain eligibility requirements, which are as follows:
- The beneficiary must have worked for the organization in another country for one continuous year within the three years preceding entry into the United States.
- The beneficiary must enter the country to work for the stated employer in a managerial or executive capacity.
Employers applying for an L-1A visa must have a relationship with a business in another country, such as a parent company, and they must plan to continue doing business in the United States and at least one other country.
L-1B Visas
L-1B visas are very similar to L-1A visas, but these visas are reserved for individuals with specialized knowledge instead of executives and managers. Foreign nationals with specialized knowledge can obtain an L-1B visa if they are an employee of a company that has a presence in the United States, or that is going to create an office or branch in the country.
The eligibility requirements for an L-1B visa are similar to those of an L-1A visa. The employee who wishes to enter the country must currently work for the company in a specialized knowledge capacity. The individual must have also worked for the company for one continuous year within the three years before entering the United States. Employers also largely have the same requirements. Employers must currently have a relationship with a company in another country, and they must currently do business, or plan to do business, as an employer in the United States and at least one other country.
Our L-1 Visas Lawyer in Austin Can Help You Through the Process
If you are an employer and wish to bring an employee into the U.S. to work for your company, our Austin L-1 Visa lawyer at BBA Immigration can help you through the process. We will ensure your petition is filled out accurately and completely so you have the best chance of a successful outcome. Reach out to us online to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys and to learn more.
