L-1 Visa Attorney in Portland

18 Years of Experience With Complex Intracompany Transfers

An L-1 petition must connect several elements: the relationship between the U.S. and foreign companies, the employee’s work abroad, the proposed U.S. position, and the evidence supporting the requested classification. We help Portland employers and foreign workers evaluate these factors before a transfer date or expansion plan creates avoidable complications.

Sarpa Law handles employment-based immigration matters involving L-1A managers and executives, L-1B specialized knowledge employees, and qualifying new-office transfers. We provide individualized advice based on the companies, position, employment history, and immigration objectives involved.

Call (503) 755-5587 to discuss a proposed intracompany transfer with our L-1 visa lawyer.

Choosing Between L-1A & L-1B Classification

The correct classification depends on the employee’s responsibilities and organizational context, not the job title alone. We review the foreign position, proposed U.S. duties, reporting structure, staffing, decision-making authority, and company operations to determine which category may fit.

L-1A Managers & Executives

L-1A classification applies to an intracompany transferee who will work in a managerial or executive capacity. A manager may oversee an organization, department, function, or other essential component. An executive generally directs the organization or a major component, establishes goals and policies, and exercises broad discretion.

For personnel managers, organizational charts and employee roles can be central to the analysis. A function manager may not directly supervise employees, but the evidence must identify the essential function and explain the employee’s authority over it.

L-1B Specialized Knowledge Employees

L-1B classification covers employees with specialized knowledge of the company’s products, services, research, equipment, techniques, management, or other interests, or advanced knowledge of its processes and procedures. We work with the employer and beneficiary to explain what that knowledge entails, how the employee developed it, and why it matters to the proposed U.S. assignment.

Corporate Relationships & Prior Foreign Employment

The U.S. petitioner and foreign business must be qualifying organizations, such as a parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate connected through qualifying ownership and control. The beneficiary generally must have worked full-time for a qualifying organization abroad for at least one continuous year within the relevant three-year period. How that period is calculated can depend on the employee’s travel and employment history.

A petition may require records addressing:

• Corporate relationship: Formation records, ownership documents, organizational records, and evidence of control
• Foreign employment: Payroll records, employment verification, position descriptions, and evidence of qualifying duties
• U.S. position: Detailed duties, reporting lines, organizational charts, staffing information, and operating records
• Business activity: Contracts, invoices, financial records, office documentation, and other evidence of ongoing operations

Building a Credible New-Office L-1A Petition

An established foreign company may use an L-1A new-office petition to send a qualifying manager or executive to establish a U.S. operation. Forming a business entity alone isn’t enough. The filing generally must document the corporate relationship, suitable premises, proposed operation, and plans for developing the business to support a managerial or executive role.

We assess the ownership records, business plan, financial support, hiring projections, proposed duties, and foreign operations as a connected record. The plan and supporting documents should present consistent facts instead of relying on broad descriptions of anticipated growth.