--- title: L-1 Visa Requirements: Employer and Employee | Lando url: https://trylando.com/l1-visa-requirements description: L-1 visa requirements: the qualifying relationship between companies, one continuous year abroad, executive, managerial or specialized-knowledge role. --- # L-1 Visa Requirements: Employer and Employee L-1 visa requirements: the qualifying relationship between companies, one continuous year abroad, executive, managerial or specialized-knowledge role, and the steps to apply. Page reviewed October 17, 2026. What it is To qualify for an L-1, the employer needs a qualifying relationship with a foreign company and must be doing business in the United States and abroad. The employee needs one continuous year of employment abroad with a qualifying organization within the previous three years, and must be coming to work in an executive or managerial role (L-1A) or a specialized knowledge role (L-1B). The U.S. employer files Form I-129. ## Employer requirements - A qualifying relationship with a foreign company: parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate. - Doing business as an employer in the United States and in at least one other country, directly or through a qualifying organization, for the duration of the stay. - A viable business. There is no fixed minimum size. ## Employee requirements - One continuous year of employment abroad by a qualifying organization within the three years before the petition. - A transfer to a parent, branch, affiliate or subsidiary of that employer. - An executive or managerial role (L-1A) or a role requiring specialized knowledge (L-1B). ## Steps to apply - Confirm the qualifying relationship and the employee's one year abroad. - Describe the U.S. role and why it is executive, managerial or specialized-knowledge. - The U.S. employer files Form I-129 with the filing fee and the supporting evidence. Premium processing can be requested separately. - After approval, an employee outside the United States applies for the L-1 visa at a U.S. consulate. An employee already in the United States in a valid status can change status without leaving, if eligible. ## Not required - A labor certification. - An annual cap number or lottery selection. ## Related guides - [L-1 overview](https://trylando.com/l1-visa) - [L-1 new office](https://trylando.com/l1-new-office) - [L-1 blanket petition](https://trylando.com/l1-blanket-petition) 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 are the basic L-1 visa requirements?+ A qualifying relationship between the U.S. and foreign companies, an employer doing business in both countries, an employee with one continuous year of employment abroad in the previous three years, and a U.S. role that is executive, managerial or requires specialized knowledge. Does the L-1 require a labor certification?+ No. Can the employee already be in the United States?+ An employee already in the United States in a valid nonimmigrant status may be eligible for a change of status, filed by the employer on Form I-129. Otherwise the employee applies for the visa at a consulate after approval. Who files the L-1 petition?+ The U.S. employer files Form I-129 with USCIS. A foreign company sending an employee to open a new U.S. office also files. Is the L-1 an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa?+ It is a nonimmigrant visa. Holding it does not prevent the employee from pursuing a green card. 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) - [USCIS: How Do I Request Premium Processing?](https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/how-do-i-request-premium-processing) 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-visa-requirements