--- title: L-1 New Office Visa: Opening a U.S. Office | Lando url: https://trylando.com/l1-new-office description: The L-1 new office route lets a foreign company send an employee to establish a U.S. office. What USCIS requires, the one-year initial stay. --- # L-1 New Office Visa: Opening a U.S. Office The L-1 new office route lets a foreign company send an employee to establish a U.S. office. What USCIS requires, the one-year initial stay and how extensions work. Page reviewed October 17, 2026. What it is A new office L-1 lets a foreign company that has no U.S. office yet send an executive, manager or specialized-knowledge employee to establish one. The employer must have secured sufficient physical premises, the employee needs one continuous year abroad with the company in the previous three years, and for the L-1A the new office must support an executive or managerial position within one year. The initial stay is up to one year. ## What counts as a new office The regulation defines a new office as an organization that has been doing business in the United States through a parent, branch, affiliate or subsidiary for less than one year. ## What USCIS looks for - A qualifying relationship between the foreign company and the U.S. entity. - Sufficient physical premises secured for the new office. - The employee's one continuous year abroad with the company in the previous three years, in a qualifying role. - For the L-1A, that the intended U.S. office will support an executive or managerial position within one year of approval. - That the foreign business continues to operate while the employee is in the United States. ## Period of stay and extension The initial stay is up to one year. An extension request has to show that the U.S. operation has grown into one that supports the role, and extensions are granted in increments of up to two years, to a maximum of seven years for the L-1A and five years for the L-1B. - [L-1 extensions and maximum stay](https://trylando.com/l1-visa-extension) ## Planning points - A plan for how the U.S. office will hire and grow, since the extension depends on the office supporting the role. - Evidence of the premises, such as a lease, before filing. - A realistic description of the employee's duties in the first year, since USCIS looks at what the person will actually do, not only the title. Pricing ## L-1 pricing $10,000 flat fee, any visa What the fee includes - Eligibility strategy mapped to the requirements of your visa - Support, expert and reference letters drafted and coordinated for you - The full legal brief and every exhibit, prepared and filed - RFE responses included at no additional cost - Real-time updates in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese - One team from first call to approval. No handoffs. - If USCIS denies a petition Lando filed, Lando refunds its fee. Terms apply. USCIS government filing fees are separate and paid directly to USCIS. Get a free evaluationSee the USCIS fees Why Lando ## How Lando compares A plain comparison with the way immigration petitions are commonly handled. Terms vary by firm, so check any provider's terms before you hire. Lando Commonly elsewhere - ### Price Lando$10,000 flat fee per visa, published on the visa pages.Commonly elsewhereOften billed hourly or by stage, so the total can change as the case grows. - ### Request for Evidence LandoResponses are included at no extra cost.Commonly elsewhereSometimes charged separately. Ask before you hire. - ### If USCIS denies LandoLando refunds its fee for a petition it filed. Terms apply.Commonly elsewhereNot always offered. Ask what is refunded. - ### Retainer LandoNo retainer to begin, and no surprise invoices later.Commonly elsewhereA retainer paid up front is common. - ### Who does the work LandoOne team from first call to decision. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys.Commonly elsewhereVaries. Ask who will work on your file. - ### Languages LandoCase updates in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese.Commonly elsewhereVaries by firm. - ### Legal advice LandoLando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.Commonly elsewhereA law firm can give you legal advice and represent you directly. General comparison, not a statement about any named firm. USCIS fees are separate and are paid directly to USCIS. No one can promise a USCIS decision. How it works ## From first call to filed petition - 1. Evaluation ### You get an honest answer. We review your situation on a 15-minute call and tell you honestly whether the visa fits and what would make the case stronger. No retainer. No commitment. - 2. Strategy ### You know exactly what your case looks like. We map which company documents and evidence prove each requirement, and what is still missing. You see the full picture before we file anything. - 3. Preparation ### Your petition is built without you lifting a finger. Our team drafts the support letters and the legal brief, curates every exhibit, and reviews the full petition before it leaves our hands. You approve. We file. - 4. Filing ### Filed. You get on with your life. Your petition is filed at USCIS and we manage every communication from there. We handle any RFE at no extra charge. ## Common questions What is a new office L-1?+ A route for a foreign company without a U.S. office to send an executive, manager or specialized-knowledge employee to establish one. The U.S. entity has been doing business for less than a year. How long is the first stay on a new office L-1?+ Up to one year. Extensions come in increments of up to two years. Do I need an office lease before filing?+ The employer must show that sufficient physical premises have been secured. A lease is a common way to show that. Does the foreign company have to keep operating?+ Yes. The employer must be doing business in the United States and in at least one other country, directly or through a qualifying organization, for the duration of the stay. Does a new office L-1 need an investment amount?+ The L-1 has no fixed investment amount, but USCIS looks at whether the U.S. operation is real and able to support the role. A fixed investment test applies to the E-2, not the L-1. Is Lando a law firm?+ No. Lando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys. For advice about your own situation, speak to a licensed immigration attorney. ## Sources - [USCIS: L-1A Intracompany Transferee Executive or Manager](https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/l-1a-intracompany-transferee-executive-or-manager) - [USCIS: L-1B Intracompany Transferee Specialized Knowledge](https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/l-1b-intracompany-transferee-specialized-knowledge) - [8 CFR 214.2(l), intracompany transferees, on eCFR](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/section-214.2) Checked October 2026. Lando is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys. --- Lando is not a law firm. Petitions are prepared in coordination with licensed U.S. immigration attorneys. Source: https://trylando.com/l1-new-office