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International Transfers (L) Visas
L1 visas are available to managers and employees of multinational companies
who wish to transfer their workers to a U.S. based company. In order
to qualify , the employee must have worked in an executive, managerial
or specialized knowledge capacity abroad, must be coming to the U.S.
to work in a similar capacity and must have worked for the employer abroad
for one continuous year of the previous three years. L visas for managers
and executives can be renewed for up to seven years; those for specialized
knowledge employees are renewable for up to five years. The spouses and children
of L visa holders are eligible for L2 status, and spouses (but not children) may
apply for work authorization.
Large companies (those with annual sales of more than $25 million, or a U.S.
workforce of at least 1000 employees, or companies who have obtained approval
of at least 10 L visa petitions in the previous six months) can file a "blanket"
petition for their employees. Once a blanket petition is approved, employees can
be admitted on the petition by submitting their credentials directly to a U.S.
embassy abroad. Employees entering on a blanket petition need only have worked
for their foreign employer for six months of the previous three years.
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