What is L-1 Visa?
The L-1 is a US nonimmigrant visa that lets a multinational company transfer an employee from a foreign office to a related US office. L-1A is for executives and managers, with a maximum stay of seven years, and L-1B is for specialized knowledge employees. The employee usually must have worked for the company abroad for one continuous year.
Example
An employee of an Indian IT company who has worked there for more than a year is transferred to its US affiliate on an L-1. The US and foreign entities must have a qualifying relationship.
Related
See L-1 visa transfer and L-1 transfer from an Indian IT company.
Related terms and guides
Sources
- USCIS, L-1A intracompany transferee (executive or manager), https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/l-1a-intracompany-transferee-executive-or-manager, live official page, linked for readers; link checked 2026-10-31
- USCIS, L-1B intracompany transferee (specialized knowledge), https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/l-1b-intracompany-transferee-specialized-knowledge, live official page, linked for readers; link checked 2026-10-31
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.