L-1 Visa USA for Business Owners and Executives: 2026 Guide

Q: How does L-1A differ from L-1B?

L-1A is for executives and managers, a maximum of 7 years, and it is the one that leads to EB-1C. L-1B is for employees with specialised knowledge, a maximum of 5 years. A business owner moving to run the US company goes on L-1A; key specialists can be transferred on L-1B.

Q: How long does the whole process take?

USCIS with premium processing: 15 business days. Setting up the company and the file usually takes 1–3 months depending on registration, the lease and the bank. Add the consular appointment: waiting times at the US Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in India vary by season. Realistically, several months from the first meeting to entry; we give a precise estimate after the diagnosis.

Conditions in brief

Facts verified October 8, 2026 against official sources · Sources

Legal basis: L-1A, 8 CFR 214.2(l)transfer of an executive or manager from a foreign company to a related US company: parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate
Experience: 1 year out of the last 3continuous employment with the foreign company in an executive or managerial capacity before the petition
Period of stay: 1 year / up to 3 yearsnew office: 1 year; established company: up to 3 years; extensions of 2 years, maximum 7 years
Family: L-2 statusspouse: employment authorised incident to status; children under 21: study; parents are not covered by L-2

L-1A is a visa for transferring an executive or manager from a foreign company to a related company in the US. The basis is INA 101(a)(15)(L) and 8 CFR 214.2(l). It is not an ‘investment visa from USD X’: the law sets no minimum investment, and USCIS assesses whether the business is genuine.
Three conditions: at least 1 continuous year of employment with the foreign company within the last 3 years in an executive or managerial capacity; a qualifying relationship between the companies (parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate); both companies doing business, meaning the regular, systematic and continuous provision of goods or services.
New office: you must show the premises, the structure and financial goals, the size of the US investment and the foreign company’s ability to pay the executive and commence business, and that within a year the office will support an executive or managerial position. The first approval is for 1 year, then extensions of 2 years up to a maximum of 7 years.
Timing: with premium processing USCIS decides in 15 business days (USD 2,965 on top of the fees). The Form I-129 fee is USD 1,385 on paper or USD 1,335 online (small employer: USD 695) plus the Asylum Program Fee of USD 600 or USD 300 and a USD 500 fraud prevention fee. The visa itself is issued at the US Embassy in New Delhi or a US consulate in India, or in the UAE for UAE residents.
Family: the spouse in L-2 status may work without a separate permit, children under 21 may study. The path to a green card is EB-1C, a separate employer petition after the US company has operated for a year; its approval is not predetermined, and we will not promise it.

The team who will handle your case

Owner, regional partners, the migration consulting and case management department and senior experts. These are the people you will speak to on the phone and meet in the office.

Whole team →

What you get

No fixed investment

The law sets no amount. You invest what your business needs to launch and to support an executive within a year: rent, salaries, equipment.

A fast USCIS decision

With premium processing the petition is decided in 15 business days. Then the consular appointment and interview.

The spouse works

L-2 status gives the spouse employment authorisation incident to status: with the L-2S notation on Form I-94 no separate work permit is needed.

Control of the business

You remain the owner and manager of the company rather than a passive investor in someone else’s project.

Up to 7 years in the US

1 or 3 years at the start, extensions of 2 years; a maximum of 7 years for L-1A. Time spent in H-1B status counts towards this limit.

A known road to permanent status

The EB-1C category is designed for the same executives of multinational companies; the US company files the petition after a year of operations. No guarantees, but the route is known in advance.

Official requirements

Facts verified October 8, 2026

Qualifying relationship: The US and foreign companies must be related as parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate through ownership and control. A sole proprietorship cannot file an L-1 for its owner: there is no separate legal entity.
Experience with the foreign company: One continuous year within the three years before filing, in an executive or managerial capacity.
An executive or managerial role on both sides: An executive makes decisions of wide latitude without much oversight; a manager supervises professional employees, a department or an essential function. The US role must also be managerial: a ‘director’ with no staff and no function is a refusal risk.
Both companies doing business: The regular, systematic and continuous provision of goods or services, both in the US and abroad, for the whole period of stay. The mere presence of an office or agent does not count as doing business.
New office: Premises already leased or owned; the scope, structure and financial goals described; the size of the US investment and the foreign company’s ability to pay the executive and commence business shown; within a year the office must support an executive or managerial position.
Documents: Corporate documents of both companies, proof of ownership, financial statements, the applicant’s employment history, the lease, the business plan, staffing and organisational charts. Indian documents are filed with certified English translations where needed.
Extension after the first year: For a new office: evidence that the business is genuinely operating, its financial status, staff, and the executive’s duties. If the company has not launched, the status will not be extended.

Government fees and timelines

Form I-129 petition (L classification)	USD 1,385 online: USD 1,335; small employer or nonprofit: USD 695; fee schedule G-⁠1055 of 7 October 2026
Asylum Program Fee	USD 600 small employer: USD 300; nonprofit: USD 0; with every Form I-129
Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee	USD 500 on the first L-1 petition and on a change of employer
Pub. L. 114-113 fee	USD 4,500 only if the employer has 50 or more US employees and more than half of them in H-1B or L-1; in force until 30 September 2027
Premium processing (Form I-907)	USD 2,965 USCIS decision in 15 business days
Consular visa fee (L)	USD 205 per applicant, including L-2 family members (22 CFR 22.1)
Family extension or change of status (Form I-539)	USD 470 online: USD 420; when filed from inside the US
EB-1C petition (Form I-140)	USD 715 plus the Asylum Program Fee of USD 600 or USD 300; premium processing USD 2,965 for a decision in 45 business days

How the process works

Diagnosis1–2 weeks

We check experience, role, ownership structure, the financial position of the foreign company and the family. We decide: L-1A or another route, such as EB-5.
The US company2–6 weeks

Registration of the legal entity, proof of the relationship with the foreign company, lease of premises, bank account, hiring plan.
The Form I-129 petition2–4 weeks to assemble

Business plan and financial model, documents of both companies, employment history, organisational charts. Filed with premium processing.
USCIS decision15 business days

With premium processing. A request for evidence (RFE) is answered within the deadline USCIS sets; we prepare answers to typical requests in advance.
Consular visaby appointment

Form DS-160, the USD 205 fee, the interview at the US Embassy in New Delhi or a consulate in India; UAE residents apply in the UAE. Appointment waiting times depend on the post.
Entry, launch, extension1 year → +2 years

We arrange the family’s I-94 records, start hiring and accounts. A few months before the end of the first year we prepare the extension with evidence that the office genuinely operates.

How people actually use it

The official conditions are above. Below is how the programme works in real life, from our cases.

L-1 is not an investment visa

Clients ask how much they need to invest. There is no fixed amount: USCIS assesses whether the investment is enough for the office to support an executive within a year. For one business that is rent and two salaries, for another a warehouse and a team.

The new-office year goes quickly

The status is granted for a year, and the extension depends on whether the company is working: staff, turnover, contracts. A company ‘on paper’ does not pass the extension.

The green card is a separate route

EB-1C is designed for the same executives, but it is an independent petition with its own evidence. We show the route without promising the result.

The Indian company must keep running

Both companies must be doing business for the whole period of stay. If the Indian business winds down after the move, the basis for the status disappears. We plan who runs the Indian side.

**Andrey Boyko**, Founder & Managing Partner · September 11, 2026

L-1 or EB-5: which US route to choose

	L-1A	EB-5
Basis	Transfer of an executive to a related US company	Investment in a new commercial enterprise
Amount	No fixed amount; USCIS assesses the investment	USD 800,000 (TEA) or USD 1,050,000
Status	Work visa: 1 or 3 years, up to 7 years	Conditional green card for 2 years, then permanent
Decision time	15 business days with premium processing	No premium processing; USCIS times and the Visa Bulletin
Your role	You run the business	Can be passive, through a regional centre
Family	L-2: spouse works, children under 21 study	Green cards for the spouse and children under 21
Main risk	If the business does not launch, the status is not extended	Capital at risk, return not guaranteed; India backlog in the Unreserved category

EB-5 is covered in detail on a separate page. Figures are verified on the date of filing.

In the press: 41 publications

Coverage and expert commentary by Garant IN in business media.

All publications (41) →

Who the programme is for

Who this programme suits in our practice.

Owners of an operating business

You have a company outside the US that genuinely trades, and you have run it for at least a year. You open a US subsidiary or branch and move to manage it. The Indian company must keep operating.

Executives and managers of international groups

The group transfers you to an existing US entity. You need a year with the group in the last three and an executive or managerial role on both sides.

IT and technology companies

Entering the US market with a team: the founder or CTO moves on L-1A, key specialists on L-1B for employees with specialised knowledge.

Consultants and specialists with their own company

If your firm has employees and you run it as an executive or manager, the route is open. A sole proprietor without a separate legal entity cannot file an L-1 for themselves.

Service packages

Our fee depends on the company structure and the family composition. We send the quote in reply to your message.

Turnkey filing

Main applicant

Free preliminary audit: company structure, experience, role, refusal risks
Structure linking the foreign and US companies: subsidiary, branch or affiliate
US company registration, premises, bank account, hiring plan for the first year
Form I-129 petition with a business plan and financial model to the new-office standard, premium processing
Consular stage: DS-160, interview preparation at the US Embassy or consulate in India or the UAE, entry and launch

Fees of licensed local lawyers and authorised agents are charged separately at their rates

Request a quote

Turnkey filing + family

Applicant with spouse and children

Everything in the Turnkey filing package
L-2 visas for the spouse and children under 21, filed together or later
The spouse’s right to work: the L-2S notation on Form I-94 and how it is obtained
Schools and universities for children, change of status for a child turning 21
Extension of the whole family’s status after the first year (I-129 + I-539)

Fees of licensed local lawyers and authorised agents are charged separately at their rates

Request a quote

Refund guarantee and protection of your risks

We take responsibility for the integrity and completeness of your case and set out transparent terms of financial liability in an official contract.

Preliminary case audit (due diligence). Before we start, our migration programme experts run a mandatory, free preliminary compliance screening (pre-due diligence) of your documents and risk history to identify possible risks and reduce the likelihood of refusal before filing. If the risks are high, we tell you before the contract is signed.
Terms fixed in the contract. All stages of work, the payment schedule, quality criteria and refund terms, with clear rules on the retention of service costs, are set out in a legal agreement before work begins.
Refund under the contract (money-back policy). The quality of preparing and filing your document package is our responsibility under the contract. If the application is refused through the fault of our team or an error in building the case, we refund the company's service fee less a minimal retention for costs actually incurred.

Read the guarantee terms in the contract →

Residence for the whole family: who can be included

For Garant IN family is a core value: L-2 status is arranged for your spouse and children together with you or later under 8 CFR 214.2(l). Below are the conditions from USCIS documents, without generic phrases.

Spouse
The spouse receives L-2 status for the same period as you. Employment is authorised incident to status: with the L-2S notation on Form I-94 no separate Employment Authorization Document is required, though one may be obtained if wished. The spouse may take a job or run a business in any field.
Children
Unmarried children under 21 receive L-2 status for the period of your visa: school and university. Children in L-2 may not work. At 21 the L-2 status ends, so we choose a basis in advance, for example student status.
Parents
Parents are not covered by L-2 status, which is for the spouse and children only. For parents we choose a separate basis for visits; permanent status for them is possible only after your citizenship, and that is a separate process.
Family costs
There is no investment threshold, and it does not grow with the family. The consular fee of USD 205 is paid by each person, including children. For a change or extension of status from inside the US, Form I-539 costs USD 470 (USD 420 online) per family application. Health insurance is not required by law, but without it treatment in the US is unaffordable, so we budget for it.

Filing is together with the main applicant or later. Garant IN's migration programme experts check each family member’s documents before filing: marriage and birth certificates with translations, passports, a DS-160 for each person. Verified on 6 October 2026 against USCIS pages, the G-1055 fee schedule and 8 CFR 214.2(l).

Garant IN

What we do that others will not

The L-1 rules are the same for everyone. The difference is how the company structure is built and how convincingly you show that in a year the US office will stand on its own.

The deal structure before the petition
We decide what we create: a subsidiary, a branch or an affiliate with the same owners. A mistake in ownership and control means a refusal on formal grounds before the business is even discussed.
A business plan as evidence, not a pitch
USCIS looks at the size of the investment, the ability to pay the executive and the hiring plan. We build a 12-month financial model with real rent, salary and revenue figures, and plan the remittance of capital from India under FEMA overseas investment rules with your chartered accountant.
A role that passes scrutiny
We show the managerial function and subordinates on both sides: organisational charts, job descriptions, HR records. A ‘managing director’ of a one-person company does not pass.
The extension is built into the launch
A new office gets one year. From the first month we keep the calendar: hiring, accounts, contracts, so that at extension there is evidence of a genuine business.
Family and the next status
The spouse’s right to work, schools for the children, a child’s change of status at 21 and the EB-1C scenario are planned from the start, without promising a green card.

Wording pending approval.

What this visa is and who it suits

L-1A is a US work visa for executives and managers whom a foreign company transfers to a related US company: parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate. The basis is INA 101(a)(15)(L) and 8 CFR 214.2(l). The main condition is at least one continuous year of employment with the foreign company within the last three years and an executive or managerial role on both sides.

The programme suits owners of an operating business who want to move to the US by opening or growing their own US company, and executives of international groups being transferred to an existing US entity. For a new office the first approval is for one year, for an established company up to three years; extensions are for two years at a time, up to a maximum of seven. The spouse may work, children under 21 may study. For Indian families this is a work visa, not citizenship: the Indian passport stays.

It does not suit those looking for an ‘investment visa for a fixed sum’: the law sets no minimum amount, and USCIS assesses whether the business is genuine. Nor does it suit those who want to invest passively and receive a green card: that is EB-5, which we compare below.

What comes next

Extensions of 2 years

A new office: after a year, with evidence of operations. Then 2 years at a time up to the 7-year maximum; time in H-1B status counts towards the limit.

EB-1C: a green card for executives

A US company that has operated for at least a year files Form I-140 for an executive who worked for the foreign company for a year within the 3 years before the petition. No labour certification; premium processing in 45 business days. The decision is not predetermined.

Family

The spouse works in L-2 status, the children study. For a child approaching 21 we choose their own basis, for example student status.

If the business does not take off

L-1 status rests on an operating company. We discuss plan B in advance: another category, or leaving while keeping the right to file again.

Citizenship

After 5 years as a permanent resident you may file Form N-400 for naturalisation. India does not permit dual citizenship, so that step would mean giving up the Indian passport.

Second citizenship and residence in short

Short videos by Andrey Boyko: the latest from the Garant IN channel. The videos are in Russian.

In Russian Where $90–130K passports get you: 82–92 countries, but not the EU, US or UK

All shorts on YouTube →

4 offices

Moscow, Dubai, New Delhi and Mumbai. Visit an office and see who is working with you.

Office video tour

Moscow

Daev pereulok, 20
4.4 12 reviews on Yandex Maps
Map +7 901 634-80-27
Office video tour

Dubai

The Opus Tower, Tower A, 11th floor, Business Bay
4.9 145 reviews on Google Maps
Map +971 54 237 1924
Office video tour

New Delhi

Barakhamba Tower, 11th floor, Barakhamba Road
4.9 163 reviews on Google Maps
Map +91 87968 92163
Office video tour

Mumbai

Maker Chambers V, 905, 9th floor, Nariman Point
4.4 16 reviews on Google Maps
Map +91 92112 18512

Membership

Garant IN is a member of the Investment Migration Council (IMC), the Geneva-based international association of the investment migration industry. investmentmigration.org →
Garant IN is a member of CCI France Russie, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Russia. ccifr.ru →
2015
International migration consultancy since 2015.

Who files your application

Two levels of quality control: Garant IN's migration consulting and case management department runs a rigorous pre-application compliance screening (Pre-Due Diligence) and prepares the document package to 2026 requirements, while the application in the United States is prepared and filed together with licensed US immigration attorneys. This is how we minimise the risk of refusal at the preparation stage, before the documents reach the government authority.

GARANT IN — international migration consultancy since 2015, in investment migration since 2008.
Member of Investment Migration Council.
Member of CCI France Russie, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Russia.

Frequently asked questions

How does L-1A differ from L-1B?

L-1A is for executives and managers, a maximum of 7 years, and it is the one that leads to EB-1C. L-1B is for employees with specialised knowledge, a maximum of 5 years. A business owner moving to run the US company goes on L-1A; key specialists can be transferred on L-1B.

Is there a minimum investment?

No. The law sets no threshold like EB-5. USCIS assesses the size of the investment and the foreign company’s financial ability to pay the executive and commence business. The amount is set by your business plan: rent, salaries and equipment for the first year. Capital sent from India to the US company is remitted under FEMA overseas investment rules, which we plan with your chartered accountant.

Do I need an operating company in the US already?

No, you can open a new office. The first approval is then for 1 year, and you must show the premises, the structure, the financial goals and that within a year the office will support an executive or managerial position. If the US company already operates, the approval is for up to 3 years.

Can I buy an existing US business and move on an L-1?

Yes, if the foreign company or the same owners acquire ownership and control of the US company so that a parent–subsidiary or affiliate relationship arises, and you meet the one-year requirement. Buying it personally without a foreign company creates no such relationship.

How long does the whole process take?

USCIS with premium processing: 15 business days. Setting up the company and the file usually takes 1–3 months depending on registration, the lease and the bank. Add the consular appointment: waiting times at the US Embassy in New Delhi and the consulates in India vary by season. Realistically, several months from the first meeting to entry; we give a precise estimate after the diagnosis.

Can my spouse work?

Yes. A spouse in L-2 status is employment authorised incident to status; with the L-2S notation on Form I-94 no separate EAD is needed. Children in L-2 may not work.

How do I move from L-1 to a green card?

Through EB-1C: a US company that has operated for at least a year files Form I-140 for an executive who worked for the foreign company of the group for a year within the 3 years before the petition. No labour certification; premium processing in 45 business days. It is a separate petition with its own evidence, and its approval is not predetermined: everything depends on the real state of the business. Visa number availability for India-born applicants is checked in the Visa Bulletin.

Where do I get the visa as an Indian or UAE resident?

At the US Embassy in New Delhi or a US consulate in India after USCIS approves the petition. UAE residents apply at the US mission in the UAE. The spouse and children apply for L-2 visas at the same post, together or later. We book the appointment in advance: waiting times depend on the post.

What if the business does not launch within a year?

Extending a new office requires evidence of genuine operations: financial status, staff, the executive’s duties. Without them the status is not extended. That is why we build the business plan for a real launch, not for the petition, and discuss plan B in advance.

What about taxes?

Living and working in the US, you become a US tax resident and report worldwide income; the US company pays your salary with tax withheld. Your residential status in India under the Income-tax Act and the India–US tax treaty are planned before the move, together with the structure of payments between the Indian and US companies.

What is a blanket L and is it for me?

A blanket petition is for large groups: at least three branches, subsidiaries or affiliates and, for example, 10 approved L-1s in a year, combined sales of USD 25 million or 1,000 US employees. Owners of mid-sized businesses do not need it: an individual petition is filed.

Can I include my parents or adult children in an L-1 visa application for the United States?

No. L-2 status is only for the spouse and unmarried children under 21. Parents and children over 21 apply on their own bases: visitor visas, study, work. We choose a route for them in parallel with your petition.

How do the costs change when applying with a family?

L-1 has no investment threshold, and the family does not change that. Only the fees grow: the consular fee of USD 205 per family member, and Form I-539 at USD 470 per application for an extension or change of status from inside the US. The business plan must show that the executive’s salary supports the family in the chosen state: USCIS looks at the company’s ability to pay.

Do you offer a refund if the application is refused?

Yes. If the application is refused through the fault of our team or an error in building the case, we refund the company's service fee less a minimal retention for costs actually incurred. Refund terms, the payment schedule and the rules on retaining service costs are fixed in the contract before work begins. Before we start, we check your documents and risk history free of charge and tell you about any risks in advance.

Personal cost estimate

An estimate for your family

Message us in the messenger you prefer and you will receive an estimate for your family and route. We never message first: you send the first message.

Our fee depends on the company structure and the family composition. We send the quote in reply to your message.

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Sources

Figures and conditions on this page are checked against legislation and official pages. Last verified: October 8, 2026.

Page updated: October 15, 2026

L-1 visa to the United States for business owners and executives

Conditions in brief

The team who will handle your case

Andrey Boyko

Muhammad Tayyab Hafiz

Sandeep Chauhan

Julia Zuikova

Levan Pogosov

Qausar Khan