L-1 Business Visa

L-1 is a visa that lets a company transfer staff to a parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliated company in the United States. It is not a green card, but eligible business owners can later explore long-term immigration options, such as the EB-1C category.

Types

• L-1A: for managers or executives, with a maximum stay of 7 years.
• L-1B: for staff with specialized knowledge, with a maximum stay of 5 years.

Main requirements

• The company in Vietnam and the company in the United States have a qualifying relationship and both are actively doing business.
• The transferee has worked for the company abroad for at least 1 continuous year in the last 3 years.
• The US position is managerial, executive or based on specialized knowledge.
• When opening a new office in the United States, you need business premises and a clear development plan; the initial period is usually 1 year.

Main steps

1. Business review: we look at the relationship between the two companies and the transfer position.
2. Prepare the US business: complete the legal entity, premises and business plan.
3. File Form I-129: the US company files with USCIS.
4. Visa interview: after the petition is approved, interview at the US Consulate.

Updated November 2, 2026. This content is for reference only and is not legal advice for any individual case.