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The L-1 visa is a temporary work visa designed for international companies that need to transfer employees from an overseas office to a branch, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate company in the United States. This permit allows multinational companies to transfer key personnel to strengthen their operations on U.S. soil.
According to USCIS, the L category is divided into two main types: the L-1A, aimed at executives and managers, and the L-1B, intended for workers with specialized knowledge of the company's products, services, processes, or systems.
¿Qué es la visa L-1A?
The L-1A visa allows a company to transfer an executive or manager from an office located outside the United States to an affiliated office in U.S. territory. It can also be used when a foreign company seeks to send an executive or manager to establish a new operation in the United States.
This category is intended for personnel who perform management functions, make strategic decisions, or supervise important areas within the organization.
¿Qué es la visa L-1B?
The L-1B visa is aimed at employees who possess specialized knowledge related to the company's interests. This may include advanced experience in products, research, equipment, techniques, procedures, or services that are fundamental to the organization's functioning.
Like the L-1A, it allows for the temporary transfer of workers from a foreign entity to an affiliated office in the United States.
Requisitos para obtener una visa L
According to USCIS, both the company and the worker must meet certain requirements to qualify for the L-1 classification. Among the main ones are:
The company in the United States must maintain a qualifying relationship with the foreign company, whether as a parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate.
The organization must conduct business in the United States and at least one other country throughout the worker's stay.
The employee must have worked for the foreign company for at least one continuous year within the three years prior to the application.
The worker must enter the United States to perform executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge functions, depending on the category requested.
¿Cómo se tramita la visa L-1?
The process begins with the employer. USCIS states that the employer must file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, on behalf of the employee who will be transferred.
Once the petition is approved, the worker can proceed with the visa application process at a U.S. embassy or consulate. During this stage, they must present the required documentation and comply with the corresponding consular procedures.
¿Pueden viajar los familiares del solicitante?
Yes. USCIS notes that spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age may accompany the L visa holder under the L-2 category.
¿Por qué la visa L es atractiva para profesionales y empresas?
The L visa is one of the most used options by multinational companies because it facilitates the mobility of talent within the same organization. Likewise, it allows foreign companies to establish operations in the United States by transferring key personnel in charge of managing or developing the business.
This visa is often an attractive alternative for executives, managers, and specialists who already work for international corporations and receive a transfer offer to the United States, as it leverages the experience gained within the same company to drive projects in the U.S. market.
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