Global Mobility · L-1
Move your own people
For executives, managers, and specialized-knowledge employees transferring within a corporate family — including the first employee who opens the US office.
The L-1 is the cleanest route for companies moving their own talent: no lottery, no annual window, spouse work authorization included. It turns on two showings — a qualifying corporate relationship and a qualifying role — and both reward documentation done properly the first time.
L-1A — executives and managers
For leadership moving to run US operations, with a path to the EB-1C green card that skips PERM entirely.
- Managerial and executive capacity documented from org charts that reflect reality
- Functional-manager cases built where headcount is lean
- EB-1C permanent residence planned from the transfer itself
L-1B — specialized knowledge
For the people who carry what the company knows.
- Specialized-knowledge records that distinguish, not just describe
- Placement and control evidence for client-site work
- Extension strategy against the five-year limit
New-office L-1s
The first employee on US soil is a special case with special scrutiny.
- Business plans that hold up — premises, staffing, and revenue logic
- First-year milestones set with the one-year extension in mind
- Corporate setup sequenced with the immigration filing
FAQ
Common questions
What counts as a qualifying relationship?
Parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate — ownership and control are analyzed, documented, and proven with corporate records. Complex structures (joint ventures, layered holdings) are workable with the right evidence.
How much prior service does the employee need?
One continuous year with the qualifying foreign entity within the preceding three years, in a managerial, executive, or specialized-knowledge capacity.
Can the spouse work?
Yes — L-2 spouses are employment-authorized incident to status, one of the L-1's quiet advantages for assignment acceptance.
Map the route before you file
One consultation, every viable category, timelines in writing.