The L1 visa allows companies to transfer certain employees from their foreign company to their U.S. company. This visa category is designed to facilitate the transfer of executives and managers (L-1A), and specialized knowledge employees (L-1B) who have worked for the foreign parent company for at least one year within the preceding three years.

To be eligible for the L1 visa, the foreign employee must be coming to the United States to work for a related U.S. company, which must share 50% ownership with the foreign company.

This Visa grants the spouse of the applicant a work permit, during the validity of the Visa.