L-1A Visa: Intra-Company Transfers For Managers And Executives
Unlike treaty-restricted visas such as the TN and E visas, L visas are open for worldwide eligibility and can serve as a stepping stone toward permanent residency. L visas allow a U.S. business to make an intracompany transfer of workers from one of its foreign entities.
At Border Solutions Law Group, we have helped clients in Vancouver through thousands of visa applications. When screening clients for visas, our lawyers frequently come across applicants who fall into two opposing categories – those who mistakenly assume they’re eligible for an L visa and others who don’t know they actually make good candidates. In both cases, we can help.
Shell Companies Don’t Qualify
One of the biggest mistakes that L visa applicants make is to lack what U.S. immigration officials consider a qualifying relationship. For an intracompany transfer to take place, both a U.S. employer and a corresponding foreign entity must exist. This may encompass:
- A parent company
- An international branch
- A subsidiary
- An affiliate company
Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. entity must be an actual brick-and-mortar operation. A shell company in name or on paper is not only unqualified, but is also the very type of misrepresentation that immigration officials search out.
Part of our advisory service includes determining whether you actually have a qualifying relationship. If not, we can spare you the time, effort and expense of applying for an L visa and direct you instead to alternatives with a better chance of approval.
Determining Who Really Is A Manager
Our firm also helps human resources departments transfer employees. Many of them don’t initially know that the employee is eligible for an L visa. Often, they mistakenly assume that a manager only manages people. In actual fact, U.S. immigration officials allow for two kinds of managers and executives:
- Managers with oversight of people
- Managers with oversight of a key business function or major project
Once we determine your eligibility for an intra-company transfer, we will help you ensure that all other requirements, documentation and supporting proof are in good order.
It Starts With A Simple Consultation
The critical first step in setting a visa application on the right path is the prescreening. Our initial consultations are streamlined, efficient, and designed to quickly analyze your needs and answer your questions. Get in touch with one of our cross-border lawyers today by calling us at 877-341-0315 or emailing us.