Dr. William:

I have a J-1 visa right now, with 2-year home country service requirement. A company in my home country may be able to apply for L-1 visa for me to work in U.S. What are the general requirements for an L-1 visa application?

---

Answer:

An L-1 visa allows foreign nationals working abroad for a multinational company to be transferred to work in the United States. To qualify for the L-1 visa, the foreign national must have worked outside of the United States for a qualifying employer for at least one year within the three years prior to transferring to the United States. The time working in the United States will not count toward the one year of required employment. 

The employment abroad must have been as an executive or manager for an L-1A visa, or require specialized knowledge about the company’s products, procedures or methods for the L-1B visa. The foreign citizen must be transferred to work for the same employer in the United States, or a parent, subsidiary or affiliate company.