Lifestyle

Essential Things to Consider Before Applying for an L1 Visa

Are you the representative of your business or organization to relocate the company to one of the countries in the United States? Then, you will need to learn about the document you need to travel there. Today, we will discuss the necessary things you will need before applying for an L1 visa. If you would like to study more about these documents, you can visit Ashoori Law.

Basics of L1 Visa

A visa is a solemn document that authorizes the holder to enter a foreign country legally. The L1 access is a type of visa that allows people to enter a state legally for work purposes. Commonly due to relocation of the business or to open a branch inside the country. There are two types of L1 visas, L1-A and L1-B, which are different from one another.

L1-A visa is for executives and managers. It is valid for up to seven years, and the process of gaining permanent residency is easy. On the contrary, an L1-B visa is for specialists in the company. Unlike L1-A, this type of L1 visa requires a long process to gain a permanent residency. 

Types of L1 Visa

There are two kinds of L1 visas that you must consider before applying for them. There are particular criteria that you must qualify if you will use either L1-A or L1-B. The requirements are the following:

  • L1-A visa – is a type of L1 visa used exclusively by executives and managers of the company. To be a holder of this visa, you must have worked consistently overseas in one year, and you must be employed for three years before your visa application. Additionally, you must also have the authority to hire, fire, and suggest employee promotions at your company.
  • L1-B visa – is a type of L1 visa used by workers if they are not qualified to hold an L1-A visa. However, the worker must have a special and unique skill and knowledge under the company.

It would help if you considered this since it will affect your stay in a foreign country. Nonetheless, both L1 visas that allow you to travel without any restrictions.

Documents

It would be best to prepare your documents since it requires many papers before you can acquire an L1 visa. The applicant must prepare these documents to have L1 access:

  • Current or Old Passport
  • Recent passport
  • Accomplished Form DS-160
  • Letter of Appointment Interview
  • The receipt number of I-129
  • Visa Insurance Fee
  • Letters of Previous Work Experiences
  • Resume
  • Certificate of Training or Degree
  • Bank Records
  • Information about the United States company
  • Place of Employment Photographs
  • Contact information of co-workers

The employer or the applicant must accomplish the stated documents to have an L1 visa. 

Procedures of L1 Visa

It is likely suggested to consider the procedures of an L1 visa to enlighten and give you steps in getting your L1 access. There are two procedures:

  • Regular L1 visa – is applied for the applicant and approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • Blanket L1 visa – is provided to the representatives that meet the specific criteria. The USCIS would have already decided the business eligibility. Thus, the applicant will only have to copy the blanket petition and the required documents.

With regards to this, you should consider talking to your employer when processing your L1 visa.

Conclusion

The L1 visa is a document you need to travel to a foreign country without any restrictions for work purposes. It would help if you considered knowing the basics of an L1 visa, its types, documents needed, and applying procedures. Furthermore, it is also essential to identify whether you will file a green card or not since the process also takes a lot of time. More importantly, always coordinate with your employer to eliminate any problems in the future.