L-1A: Used for transferring a foreign company's executive or manage to its U.S. branch, subsidiary or affiliate company/office. The executive or manager must have worked for the foreign entity for at least one out of the last three years. Visa can be issued up to three years, with extensions not to exceed a total period of stay of seven years.
(Please note that Multi-National Executives and Managers may be petitioned for U.S. Legal Permanent Residency, through the "EB2" category, without requiring a labor certification. Please contact me for more details!)
L-1B: For "specialized knowledge employees" who have worked for the foreign company abroad for at least one year in the last three years, and will be placed at a U.S. branch, subsidiary or affiliate company/office. “Specialized knowledge” requires unique/confidential information about company products, services, processes and/or procedures of the company, which were learned through employment with the foreign company. Visa issued up to three years, with extensions not to exceed a total period of stay of five years.