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
In short
As of 8 July 2026, the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager) for United States of America is a sponsor-led United States immigration route. Sources: official United States of America government pages, reviewed 10 September 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/us/l-1a#answer
What is the L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager) in United States of America?
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager) is a sponsor-led United States route. Indicative government fees are 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; indicative processing time is Regular: 2–6 months. Premium processing: 15 business days; typical duration is Initial 3 years (1 year for new-office L-1A); extendable to 7 years total. This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Verified against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on 1 June 2026.
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.U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Code of Federal Regulations, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
- ✓Employment abroad and intended US employment must both be in an executive or managerial capacity.U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Code of Federal Regulations, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
- ✓A qualifying relationship must exist between the foreign and US employers (parent, subsidiary, affiliate or branch).U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Code of Federal Regulations, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
Common blockers
- !First-line supervisors of non-professional staff who do not meet the statutory managerial capacity definition.U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Code of Federal Regulations, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
- !New-office cases lacking evidence of sufficient premises, business plan, and funding.U.S. Department of Homeland Security / U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (Code of Federal Regulations, via U.S. Government Publishing Office) ↗
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.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Agree the lawful start date and onboarding with the employer or sponsor. Check whether the permission names an employer, role or activity before changing the arrangement.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Plan the practical side of your stay
Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in United States. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.
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.. The issuing authority does not publish a central processing time for this route, so plan against comparable cases. 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.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in United StatesHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Last checked: 1 June 2026