British applicants · United States of America
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager) for British citizens
Intracompany transfer for executives or managers moving to a US office of a related multinational employer.
- Processing time
- Regular: 2–6 months. Premium processing: 15 business days.
- Government fees
- I-129 base USD 1,385 (for most employers), plus fraud prevention (USD 500) and asylum program fee (USD 600). Premium processing USD 2,805.
- Typical duration
- Initial 3 years (1 year for new-office L-1A); extendable to 7 years total.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Bilateral context
- US E-1/E-2 Treaty
Consular processing: London (US Embassy) / Belfast
Tourist entry vs. this route
Yes — British nationals can enter United States of America without a visa for short tourism (typically up to 90 days), but tourist entry does not authorise the activity covered by the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager).
Visa overview
The L-1A permits multinational employers to transfer executives or managers from a qualifying foreign entity to a related US employer. L-1A can be used to open a new US office (with a 1-year initial validity) and allows dual intent, making it a common precursor to the EB-1C multinational manager green card.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓At least 1 continuous year of full-time employment with the qualifying foreign entity in the prior 3 years.
- ✓Employment abroad and intended US employment must both be in an executive or managerial capacity.
- ✓A qualifying relationship must exist between the foreign and US employers (parent, subsidiary, affiliate or branch).
Common blockers
- !First-line supervisors of non-professional staff who do not meet the statutory managerial capacity definition.
- !New-office cases lacking evidence of sufficient premises, business plan, and funding.
Typical evidence
- ·Organisation charts for the foreign and US entities.
- ·Evidence of the corporate relationship (share registers, consolidated financials).
- ·Beneficiary’s job description abroad and in the US, with subordinates and decision-making authority.
Application pathway
Establish qualifying relationship
Document parent/subsidiary/affiliate/branch relationship between foreign and US employers.
File Form I-129 with L supplement
USCIS adjudicates the intracompany transfer petition.
Consular processing (if outside US)
L-1 visa stamp issued at US consulate.
Renewals and EB-1C pathway
Extend L-1A up to 7 years; many employers pursue EB-1C for permanent residence.
Other United States of America routes covered for British applicants
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
E-2 Treaty Investor
Non-immigrant treaty investor visa for nationals of countries with a qualifying treaty of commerce and navigation with the US.
Frequently asked questions
Are British citizens eligible for the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)?+
Eligibility for the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager) is set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and is not nationality-restricted beyond the general criteria, though British applicants may also have access to the following bilateral or treaty frameworks: US E-1/E-2 Treaty. See the criteria below for the published requirements.
Where do British applicants typically file the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)?+
London (US Embassy) / Belfast. Specific intake (online portal, biometrics centre, or in-country lodgement) is determined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services — confirm the current intake channel on the primary source linked above before filing.
Do British applicants need a tourist visa for United States of America as well?+
Yes — British nationals can enter United States of America without a visa for short tourism (typically up to 90 days), but tourist entry does not authorise the activity covered by the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager).
What is a blanket L?+
A blanket L petition allows qualifying multinational groups to pre-approve an L-1 programme for groups of transfers. Individual employees still apply for L-1 visas at the consulate, but without a new I-129 per case.