L-1B Intracompany Transferee Visa Lawyer
Hire a Montgomery County Immigration Attorney
If you are an American employer looking to transfer a professional employee
with specialized knowledge related to your organization’s interests
from a foreign office to a domestic office, or if your foreign-based company
is looking to send a specialized knowledge employee to the United States
to establish an office, the L-1B family of
employment visas may be a valuable option to consider. The United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) grants L-1B visas to eligible organizations
who have a qualifying relationship with a foreign company and who are
currently, or plan to be, doing business as an employer in the U.S. and
at least one other country during the beneficiary’s stay.
Like any other immigration-related matter, petitioning for L-1B visa status
can be a complex ordeal and can be difficult to be navigated successfully
without the assistance of a knowledgeable attorney. At USILaw, our team
of Montgomery County immigration lawyers are passionate about helping
businesses and professionals achieve their goals through premier-quality
immigration advocacy. With customized, one-on-one involvement and a dedication
to helping you pursue your objectives, we can provide the steadfast guidance
you need to maximize your chances of success.
Schedule your confidential case review today to discover your legal options.
L-1B Eligibility Requirements
L-1B visas are only offered to employees who:
- Have been working for a qualifying organization in a foreign country for
at least one continuous year within three years prior to being admitted
to the U.S., and
- Are seeking entry to the U.S. to provide services in a specialized knowledge
capacity to his or her employer or a qualifying affiliated organization.
Employers looking to send an L-1B employee to the U.S. to set up an office
must be able to show:
- They have secured sufficient physical premises for the new office, and
- They are financially able to pay the employee and commence business in the U.S.
The USCIS defines “specialized knowledge” as any knowledge
possessed by an individual related to the petitioning organization’s
products, services, research, techniques, management, equipment, or any
other interests pertaining to the company’s business activities
in international markets. If approved, L-1B employees may stay for a maximum
initial stay of one year, with the possibility of two year extensions
being granted up to a maximum of five years. L-1B employees must also
be primarily controlled or supervised by their employer and may not provide
work to be considered “labor for hire” for an unaffiliated employer.
L-1A vs. L-1B Visas
L-1B visas are very similar to
L-1A visas in that they both allow employers to transfer foreign employees to the
United States. With that being said, their purpose, requirements, validity
period, and eligibility for permanent residency are vastly different.
L-1A visa holders are eligible to extend their stay to a longer seven-year
maximum and may petition for a Green Card under the EB-1 category, whereas
L-1B visa holders must pursue labor certification before they are able
to apply for permanent residency. Neither L-1A nor L-1B require authorization
from the Department of Labor, since both types require specialized workers.
Let USILaw Address Your L-1B Visa Concerns
In many cases, the success of an organization’s L-1B application
will be heavily based on their ability to accurately communicate their
chosen employee’s expertise in their given field. At USILaw, our
Montgomery County immigration lawyers understand the various laws and
regulations that will impact the outcome of your case and can provide
the strong counsel you need to navigate through the legal system. With
years of experience and 24 hour live support Monday through Friday, you
can trust us to handle your immigration case with the care and professionalism
it deserves.
Call (800) 335-8520 today to find out more about our firm’s immigration
and visa services.