L-1 Visa, Immigration Information

Basic Requirements:

· The U.S. Company must be affiliated to the Non USA. company through ownership.

· You must have worked in the Non USA. company as a manager or executive for at least one year within the past three years and have a similar position in the U.S. company.

· The U.S. Company must have already been established or purchased.

· The Non USA Company must continue to operate in your absence.

If the U.S. business is newly established, the L-1 visa will be issued for one year only, at the end of which a application for extension of stay must be made.

When applying for your initial L-1 visa for a new business, you do not need many employees. However, at renewal, one year later, you normally must show a substantially larger operation. Otherwise the renewal may not be granted.

Note: a dependent spouse (on an L-2 visa) can apply for work authorization upon arrival in the United States.