The L1 Visa is a non-immigrant visa which allows foreign companies to transfer a manager, executive, or person with specialized knowledge to a US company. The US company must be a branch office, parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the foreign company. L-1 Visas are typically used for intercompany transferees. The purpose of the L-1 visa is to facilitate the transfer of key personnel within multinational companies to the United States to work in executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge positions.

There are two types of L-1 visas:

a. L-1A Visa: This is for managers and executives who are being transferred to a U.S. office that is either a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of the company they have been working for abroad.

b. L-1B Visa: This is for employees with specialized knowledge who are being transferred to a U.S. office that is either a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of the company they have been working for abroad.

To qualify for an L-1 visa, both the employer and the employee must meet certain requirements.

**Employer Requirements:**
– The employer must have a qualifying relationship with the foreign company, which could be as a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate.
– The employer must provide evidence to establish the qualifying relationship between the foreign and U.S. entities.
– The U.S. employer must be doing business as an employer in the US and in at least one other country directly or through a qualifying organization for the duration of the L-1 employee’s stay in the U.S.
– The employer must have a suitable physical space for the U.S. office.
– The employer must submit a petition (Form I-129) on behalf of the employee.

**Employee Requirements:**
– The employee must have been continuously employed by the overseas employer for at least one year out of the last three years immediately preceding the filing of the petition.
– The employee must be seeking to enter the United States to provide services in an executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge capacity for the same employer or a qualifying organization.
– The employee must meet the qualifications for the specific position in the United States, including having the necessary skills, experience, and qualifications.
– The employee may need to provide documentation demonstrating their qualifications and suitability for the L-1 visa category.
– Intent to Depart: The employee must intend to depart the United States upon completion of their authorized stay.

Meeting these requirements is crucial for a successful L-1 visa application. It is recommended to consult with an immigration attorney or specialist to ensure all criteria are properly addressed.

CPT authorization is granted by the DSO, who updates the student’s information in the SEVIS system and issues an I-20 with CPT annotations. The DSO cannot backdate CPT authorization, and each authorization requires a separate agreement between the student and the sponsoring employer.