The L-1 visa, otherwise known as the Intracompany Transfer Visa, is a non-immigrant visa that allows businesses to transfer their employees to their US business in order to work for that business and live there. 

So let's assume you own a production company or a consulting company in the UK or Canada, you want to expand your company by opening an office in the US. 

Provided you can satisfy all the requirements, you can have your manager, executive, including yourself or other employees with specialized knowledge transferred to your US entity on an L1 visa.

To be eligible for the L1 visa the employee, which can include business owners, must have worked for a subsidiary, parent, affiliate, or branch office of the US company outside of the US for at least one year out of the last three years.

Let's assume you're the owner of a UK-based IT company or an e-commerce store. Your company was founded in 2013 and you've been the CEO of the company since. You, therefore, complied with the '1-year work experience' required to apply for the L-1 Visa.

There must be an affiliate relationship between the US company and the foreign company

The employee that is being transferred under the L-1 Visa must have worked in one of the 2 companies 'US' or 'foreign' for at least 1 year in the last 3.

And many more, we will cover in more detail in a separate article.

For start-ups, the visa is valid for 1 year and can be renewed.

For an existing US business, it is valid for 3 years and can be renewed.

However, a single individual cannot stay in the US for more than 7 years.

In short, yes.

No

All kids under the age of 21 years old will be allowed to come with you to the US on an L-1 and study. 

Yes, it can.

There is no investment required for the L1 visa.

The list is almost unlimited. However, businesses that earn passive income only such as real estate investment is prohibited. It has to be a business that you actively run.

Yes, after you get your visa if there is a true business need for an employee with specialized knowledge you can.

Not all criminal convictions will result in a visa denial. Contact us to speak with an attorney about how we can help your L1 visa application despite your criminal conviction.

In most cases, it doesn't affect your L1. However, it all depends on the reason for your denial. But the fact you had your visa denied does not have to mean that your future visas will be denied too.

Contact us to schedule your free consultation with an attorney.

Most likely, you'll not be allowed into the US for a period of time, based on how long you've overstayed.