Visa types / L-1
Expanding to the U.S.?
Bring your best people.
For teams expanding into the U.S.: move executives, managers, and specialized-knowledge employees from a foreign entity to a related U.S. office.
Attorney-reviewed, every case. A Thrive attorney reads your submission and gives you a straight answer — no coordinators, no portals.
Handled by specialists. Your petition is prepared by immigration attorneys with deep L-1 experience — immigration law, day in and day out.
Fast and async-first. Replies within one business day, in plain English — you keep building while the case comes together.
- What it is
- Employer-sponsored transfer visa
- Prerequisite
- 1 year abroad with the company (of last 3)
- L-1A
- Executives/managers · up to 7 years
- L-1B
- Specialized knowledge · up to 5 years
Step 1 of 5
One company, two countries. The L-1 moves your executives and specialists into the U.S. entity — no lottery, available year-round.
Who it's for
The L-1 is a fit if…
Your company has (or is opening) a U.S. entity related to the foreign employer.
You've worked for the group abroad for at least one continuous year in the last three.
Founders opening a first U.S. office — new-office L-1s exist, with extra scrutiny and a one-year initial period.
Not sure this is your category? That's normal — the right answer is often a sequence, not a single visa. Email us and a Thrive attorney will map your options.
How it actually works
The mechanics that matter
01
A vs. B tracks
L-1A covers executives and managers (up to seven years); L-1B covers specialized-knowledge employees (up to five). The track determines both duration and green-card strategy.
02
The qualifying relationship
The U.S. and foreign entities must be parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate — common ownership and control is what USCIS scrutinizes.
03
New-office petitions
A first U.S. office gets a one-year initial approval and closer review: physical premises, a credible plan, and funding to support the role.
04
Blanket L
Larger multinationals can pre-qualify the corporate relationship once, letting individual transfers process at consulates directly — much faster per hire.
The process
From "does this fit?" to filed
- 1
Honest assessment
A Thrive attorney reviews your situation against this category — and the neighbors you might not have considered — and gives you a straight read.
- 2
Meet your legal team
Your case is staffed with an immigration attorney with deep experience in this category, working with Thrive. You'll know exactly who before you engage.
- 3
Evidence & filing
Your attorney assembles the record and files with USCIS or the consulate — async updates in plain English while you keep working.
- 4
Decision & next steps
When the decision lands we map what's next: extensions, family, travel, and the road to permanence where one exists.
FAQ
L-1 questions
Can a startup use the L-1 to open a U.S. office?
Yes — the new-office L-1. Expect closer scrutiny: a real office, a credible business plan, and financials matter. Initial approval is one year, extendable once the office is up and running.
Does the L-1 lead to a green card?
L-1A executives and managers map naturally onto the EB-1C multinational-manager green card, which requires no labor certification. L-1B employees typically pursue PERM-based or other categories.
No lottery, right?
Right — no cap and no lottery. The L-1 is available year-round whenever the corporate relationship and your qualifying year abroad are in place.
How fast can an L-1 happen?
Premium processing decides the petition in 15 business days; consular steps add time depending on the post. New-office cases take longer to assemble because the corporate showing is heavier.
Can my spouse work?
Yes — L-2 spouses are work-authorized incident to status, one of the L-1's biggest family advantages.
Does L-1A really lead to a green card faster?
L-1A maps onto the EB-1C multinational manager category, which skips labor certification. It's one of the cleanest executive green-card paths when the managerial role is real on both sides.
Can I be a founder and use the L-1?
Yes, if the corporate relationship and your qualifying year abroad are genuine — founders commonly transfer themselves into a new U.S. entity. Ownership raises questions about control that the filing has to answer.
What if I've been with the company less than a year?
The one-continuous-year requirement (within the last three) is strict. If you're short, we look at timing the transfer later or at other categories in the meantime.
Start now
Get a straight answer on the L-1.
Tell us about your situation and a Thrive attorney will reply within one business day — free, with no obligation.