Chicago L-1B Visa Attorney

The L-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa classification that allows U.S. companies to transfer employees with specialized knowledge from their foreign offices to work in the United States. This visa is designed for employees who have been employed by the company for at least one continuous year within the past three years in a role requiring specialized knowledge and are being transferred to a U.S. office in a similar or related position.

Specialized knowledge refers to expertise in the company’s products, services, processes, or procedures that is not readily available in the general labor market. It goes beyond basic knowledge of the job and requires a deeper understanding of the company’s operations or unique technologies.

The L-1B visa is typically granted for an initial period of up to one year if the employee is being transferred to a new office, or up to three years if the employee is being transferred to an existing office. Extensions can be granted in increments of up to two years, with a maximum stay of five years.

To qualify for the L-1B visa, the employer must demonstrate the employee’s specialized knowledge and their role within the company. The employer also needs to provide proof that the foreign office and the U.S. office have a qualifying relationship, such as being subsidiaries, affiliates, or branches of the same company.

The L-1B visa allows for temporary employment in the U.S., but it does not provide a direct path to permanent residency. However, the employee may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through other routes, such as employer-sponsored immigrant petitions.

In summary, the L-1B visa is an important tool for companies seeking to transfer employees with specialized knowledge to the U.S. for short-term assignments, helping to ensure that the company’s proprietary knowledge and expertise are effectively shared across international offices.