L-1 Intracompany Transferee Visa
An L-1 visa moves an executive, manager, or specialized-knowledge employee from a company abroad into its U.S. office. It is the visa for opening a U.S. branch or transferring key people, and it can lead to a green card. We handle L-1 from the qualifying relationship to the EB-1C that often follows.
Talk to an attorneyFounded
1965
Attorneys
11
AV-rated
Martindale-Hubbell
Office
Bellevue, WA
Founded
1965
Attorneys
4
AV-rated
Martindale-Hubbell
Office
Bellevue, WA
L-1 intracompany transferee visa attorneys for Bellevue and Seattle foreign investors
Oseran Hahn represents companies transferring people into the United States on L-1 visas, and the executives and managers who make the move. We confirm the qualifying corporate relationship between the foreign and U.S. entities, classify the role as L-1A management or L-1B specialized knowledge, prepare the petition and supporting record, and handle the special rules for opening a new U.S. office. Many of our clients are Asian parent companies establishing a Pacific Northwest presence, and for executives and managers we map the L-1A to the EB-1C green card that often follows.
The L-1 turns on a real corporate relationship and a qualifying role, and the petition has to prove both. We establish the parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch relationship between the foreign and U.S. companies; we classify the transfer as L-1A executive or managerial or L-1B specialized knowledge; we prepare the petition with the organizational and employment evidence USCIS expects; we handle the heightened scrutiny that comes with opening a brand-new U.S. office; and we plan the path from L-1A to permanent residence through EB-1C.
The qualifying corporate relationship
The L-1 is a nonimmigrant intracompany transferee visa under INA §101(a)(15)(L) (8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15)(L)), and it requires a qualifying relationship between the foreign company and the U.S. company: parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or branch. The transferring employee must also have worked for the foreign entity for at least one continuous year out of the preceding three, in an executive, managerial, or specialized-knowledge role. We document the ownership and control that link the two companies, because USCIS scrutinizes the corporate relationship closely, and confirm the employee's qualifying year abroad before the petition goes in.
L-1A management versus L-1B specialized knowledge
The category drives everything that follows. L-1A covers executives and managers and allows a total stay of up to seven years; L-1B covers employees with specialized knowledge of the company's products, services, or processes and allows up to five. The regulations at 8 CFR §214.2(l) define each, and L-1B in particular draws careful review because specialized knowledge is easy to assert and hard to prove. We classify the role honestly, build the evidence that fits the category, and avoid the overreach that gets petitions denied.
Preparing the petition
The employer files Form I-129 with the L supplement, and the record has to show the corporate relationship, the employee's qualifying experience, and the nature of the U.S. role. For an executive or manager, that means describing who and what they manage; for a specialized-knowledge employee, it means showing knowledge that is genuinely distinct and important to the company. Premium processing is available. We assemble the petition so it answers the questions an officer will ask, which reduces the odds of a request for evidence.
Opening a new U.S. office
Using an L-1 to send an executive or manager to launch a brand-new U.S. office is common and useful, but it carries special rules. A new-office L-1A is approved for only one year initially, and the extension requires proof that the office is now doing business and supports a managerial or executive role, not just the transferee working alone. We help structure the U.S. entity, secure the physical premises the regulations expect, and build the first-year record that makes the extension approvable.
From L-1A to a green card
The L-1 allows dual intent, meaning the transferee can pursue permanent residence without jeopardizing the visa. For executives and managers, the natural path is EB-1C, the first-preference immigrant category for multinational executives and managers, which mirrors the L-1A standard and does not require labor certification. We coordinate the L-1A and the EB-1C from the start, so the employment evidence built for one supports the other, and the move into the United States becomes permanent when the family is ready.
More than forty years representing families and family offices from across Asia as they invest in the Pacific Northwest. The visa is rarely the only thing happening, and we coordinate it with the tax structure, the purchase, and the years that follow.
One firm for the whole transaction.
An L-1 transfer usually comes with a new U.S. entity, a lease, and a payroll to set up. We handle the immigration and the corporate work together, so the petition and the company are built to match.
We sit on the company's side.
We represent the business making the move, not a staffing vendor, and we tell you plainly when a role will not support an L-1A or when specialized knowledge will not hold up under review.
Built for the documentation.
An L-1, especially a new-office or L-1B case, is won on a record that proves the corporate relationship and the role. We build that record in the form USCIS expects, which keeps a petition from stalling.
The attorneys behindthe work.
Our business and corporate attorneys handle this work alongside our litigation team, so you have coverage whether your matter stays transactional or becomes something more.
What clientsask us first.
How long does an L-1 last?
It depends on the category. L-1A executives and managers can stay up to seven years; L-1B specialized-knowledge employees up to five. A new-office L-1 is granted for one year first, then extended once the office is established. We track the limits and file extensions on time.
What is the difference between L-1A and L-1B?
L-1A is for executives and managers and allows a longer stay and a cleaner green-card path through EB-1C. L-1B is for employees with specialized knowledge of the company's products or processes. L-1B draws closer scrutiny because specialized knowledge is harder to prove, so the category you choose matters.
Can I use an L-1 to open a new U.S. office?
Yes, and it is a common reason to use one. A new-office L-1A is approved for one year initially. To extend it, you have to show the office is actually operating and supports a managerial or executive role, not just the transferee working alone, so the first year needs to be built with that in mind.
Can an L-1 lead to a green card?
Yes. The L-1 allows dual intent, so pursuing permanent residence does not put the visa at risk. For L-1A executives and managers, EB-1C is the natural path: it tracks the same standard and skips labor certification. We usually plan the L-1A and EB-1C together from the start.
Does my company have to be large to qualify?
No. There is no size minimum, and small and mid-sized companies use the L-1 regularly, including startups opening a first U.S. office. What matters is a genuine qualifying relationship between the foreign and U.S. entities and a role that truly fits the category. We assess both before filing.
Recentarticles.
Tell us about the company abroad and who you want to transfer, even if the U.S. office is still on paper. A foreign investment attorney will follow up within one business day, and the first conversation is confidential.
Oseran Hahn P.S. · 11225 SE 6th St, Suite 100 · Bellevue, WA 98004
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