United States of America · intra company
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
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 2,965.
- Typical duration
- Initial 3 years (1 year for new-office L-1A); extendable to 7 years total.
- Sponsorship required
- Yes
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
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.
Recent changes to this route
- US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection12 January 2026
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
- USCIS final fee rule takes effect1 April 2024
USCIS implemented its first major fee schedule adjustment in nearly a decade, including differentiated H-1B filing fees by employer type.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Indian applicants
Indian managers and executives at multinational employers use L-1A as a reliable alternative to the H-1B lottery. Bridge…
British applicants
UK-based executives at US-affiliated companies commonly use L-1A for 1-year new-office or 3-year established-office tran…
Chinese applicants
Chinese L-1A applicants at multinationals typically transition to EB-1C. Like Indian nationals, this avoids the EB-2/EB-…
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.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- ApplyEmployerFile Form I-129 for L-1A ↗
The U.S. employer uses Form I-129 to petition for an executive or manager transfer.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · verified
Fees and processing time
Indicative 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 2,965.. A decision then typically takes 2 months – 8 months. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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Frequently asked questions
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.
Can I use the L-1A to open a brand-new US office for my overseas company, and how long is it valid?+
Yes. The L-1A can be used to open a new US office for a related multinational employer, with a 1-year initial validity for new-office cases, versus an initial 3 years for an established office. New-office petitions need evidence of sufficient premises, a business plan, and funding, and the transfer must be in an executive or managerial capacity.
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