L-1 Visa For

Launch Teams

How U.S. Launch Teams secure the L-1 visa

TRUSTED BY CROSS BORDER BUSINESSES

L-1 Criteria Explained for Launch Leaders

1
Managerial Capacity

You will build and manage the new US team, department, or key function. You will hire and direct US professionals (e.g., founding engineers, sales staff, or operations leads). Your primary role is directing the launch, or being an individual contributor with company specific knowledge.

2
Authority & Discretion

Manager: you have full authority to hire, fire, and set pay for the new US team. You have influence either in managerial capacity or specialist knowledge towards US operations.

3
Strategic Oversight

You will execute the US business plan and make high-level strategic decisions for the new entity. You will establish and execute US strategy or build the go-to-market function.

4
Qualifying Relationship

Your newly established US office (e.g., a new Delaware C-Corp) and your foreign entity are parent, subsidiary, or affiliates.

5
One Year Abroad

You were employed full-time by the foreign entity in a managerial or executive role for at least one continuous year within the last three years.

How Launch Leaders Qualify for the L-1A

Launching a US office is often a high-stakes L-1A/B petition, but we have numerous examples of success.

The key is to demonstrate future managerial or specialist capacity through a credible, detailed business and organisation plan. We focus on the metrics of your launch: your authority to hire US staff, your control over the US budget, and your strategic role in establishing the new entity, not just making the first sale or writing the first line of code.

Your evidence is the corporate structure: the secured US office space (we review leases and floorplans), and the comprehensive 1-year immigration specific business plan.

How Launch Leaders Qualify for the L-1A

Launching a US office is often a high-stakes L-1A/B petition, but we have numerous examples of success.

The key is to demonstrate future managerial or specialist capacity through a credible, detailed business and organisation plan. We focus on the metrics of your launch: your authority to hire US staff, your control over the US budget, and your strategic role in establishing the new entity, not just making the first sale or writing the first line of code.

Your evidence is the corporate structure: the secured US office space (we review leases and floorplans), and the comprehensive 1-year immigration specific business plan.

Common Challenges for Tech Launch Teams Getting the L-1A/Bs

Proving You Are a "Manager" or “Specialist

Your primary challenge is proving your role is managerial / specialist. You will need a detailed business plan and organizational chart to prove that your primary function is to direct the US entity, set strategy, and establish why your knowledge is specialised and required in the US market.

Establishing the "Viability" of the New Office

Your challenge isn't just proving your role, but proving the new office itself is a bona fide operation backed by sufficient investment and a realistic plan.

This involves showing a clear financial runway, a defined product-market fit for the US, and a physical location. Your initial L-1A/B is for only one year for new US entities, and your extension will depend entirely on proving you met these launch goals and successfully grew the

Move with Confidence

More than 90% of our clients run a cross border business with a U.S. entity with team mobility needs.

We pre-vetted our attorneys with strong track records, so you don’t have waste months finding a good one.

Founding GMs, Country Directors, and Launch Teams trust us to handle their L-1 visas.

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Work with 15+ years of combined extraordinary talent visa knowledge. Your succeess is gauranteed

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Frequently asked questions

How long does the US visa process take with Beyond Border?

We guarantee to complete the petition drafting and submission within 1 month of receiving all supporting documents required to file your long term visa or green card petition. Beyond Border is amongst the fastest legal service provider in the industry, thanks to our tech-enabled approach to petition filing and focus on technologists.

How much does this cost?

The fee will vary depending on the visa or green card type that best suits your need, but you should budget between US$8,000-10,000, excluding government fees and depending on your long term visa or green card category.

You can visit USCIS's free fee calculator to get an estimate for the associated government fees to process your visa.

Who is Beyond Border?

Beyond Border is a modern immigration platform founded by immigrants from the technology industry for immigrants. We leverage technology to speed up the end-to-end U.S. immigration petition process, and work with a carefully curated network of attorneys who specialize in U.S. immigration cases for technologists.

Our attorneys maintain a 98% success rate throughout their careers with more than 4,000 approvals. We work exclusively with venture backed tech operators and researchers, which allow us maintain a high approval rate and provide profile building advice given sector expertise.

What happens if my visa application is rejected?

If your application is rejected, we will review the reasons for denial and help you reapply by addressing any issues or missing documentation.