San Antonio L-1 Visa Lawyer
Many companies now operate on a global scale. This means that businesses often have a need to transfer employees not only between different offices, but also different countries. But if you are not a United States citizen and your company wishes to transfer you to an office in Texas, then you will first need to apply for and receive a L-1 visa.
An experienced San Antonio L-1 visa lawyer can walk you through this process. At BBA Immigration, we assist clients who need to obtain temporary authorization to work in the United States. If you work in a managerial or executive position for a non-U.S. company who needs to relocate to Texas, we can help.
Helping Executives, Managers, and Specialized Employees Transfer to U.S. Offices
United States law establishes a number of different classifications for temporary visas. The L-1 classification includes both L-1A and L-1B visas. Both L-1 visas are designed to admit “intracompany transferees” to work in the United States.
Basically, if you currently work for an employer outside of the United States and your company needs to transfer you to the United States, you may be eligible for an L-1 visa. The L-1A classification is for people who work as an executive or manager for their company, while L-1B covers employees who work in positions that require some form of “specialized knowledge.”
To qualify for an L-1 visa, you typically need to have worked outside the United States for a “qualifying organization” for at least 1 continuous year within the 3-year period immediately prior to your admission to the United States. You must also be seeking to enter the United States to work for that same qualifying organization to provide the same type of executive, managerial, or specialized services that you were abroad.
A “qualifying organization” in this context means that there is some connection between the United States-based employer and the foreign employer where the L-1 applicant currently works. For example, if a company based in Argentina has a United States-based subsidiary, that would be a qualifying relationship. A manager who works in the Buenos Aires office could then seek an L-1 visa to transfer to a similar position in San Antonio.
It is also possible to receive an L-1 visa if your employer does not currently have an office in the United States but plans to establish one within 1 year of approval of the visa. This means that you can receive a visa if your company sends you to the United States for the express purpose of setting up a local office in this country.
Contact BBA Immigration Today
Unlike many other types of temporary visas, there are currently no legal limits to the amount of L-1 visas that the United States can issue each year. This makes L-1 visas an attractive option for both large and small businesses looking to transfer talent in from their overseas offices. But there are still legal issues that can arise during the application process, which is why it is always a good idea to work with a skilled San Antonio L-1 visa lawyer. Contact BBA Immigration today to schedule a consultation with a member of our immigration law team.
