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What Are the Advantages to Have L-1A Visa?

Hi William,

As a manager in a multinational company, I will soon be transferred to work in U.S. I am not sure I should apply for L-1A or H-1B visa. What are the requirements and advantages to have L-1A visa? Does that mean that I can apply for U.S. Green Card directly?

Answer,

One of the main requirements for the L-1A visa is that an employee of the foreign company must have also worked as an executive, managerial capacity for the foreign entity for at least one continuous year in the past three years before coming to America. The employee then must be sponsored to work in the same capacity for the U.S. entity. An executive or manager (L-1A) may work in the US for up to seven years, while the 'specialized knowledge' employee (L-1B) has up to five years.

The L-1A visa holder may qualify for EB1-Executive or Manager category to apply for U.S. Green Card. The L-1A is also being increasingly used by international entrepreneurs, because it is extremely flexible as well as the fact that currently there is no quota or cap.

Also, while the spouse and children of H-1B visa applicants cannot work in the U.S., in the case of L-1 visas they are entitled to L-2 visas and can obtain a work permit. One of the other advantages that a L-1A visa has over H1-B is that it allows the holder to work in the U.S. for seven years instead of six and, furthermore, the L-1 does not require the employee to have a college or university degree.






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