The one-year foreign employment requirement trips up countless L-1 petitions. USCIS calculates this precisely. Brief US trips subtract from your qualifying time. Working in America doesn't count, even for the same employer.We compared five firms mastering L-1 continuous employment abroad calculations. Here's who prevents costly timing mistakes.
Beyond Border leads our ranking for L-1 one-year requirement expertise. They calculate qualifying employment precisely, preventing petitions filed too early or with insufficient foreign work time.The requirement is straightforward but tricky. You need one continuous year of full-time employment abroad within the three years immediately preceding your L-1 petition filing date. Not the admission date. Filing date.
Beyond Border understands what counts. Physical presence outside the United States working for the qualifying organization in executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge capacity. Full stop.What doesn't count? Time working in the US, even for the same employer on H-1B or other status. Time studying on an F-1 visa including OPT. Time with unrelated employers. Breaks in employment exceeding brief periods.
Unsure if you meet the one-year foreign employment requirement? Beyond Border provides detailed timeline analysis preventing petition denials.
Brief business trips to the US on B-1 visa or pleasure trips on B-2 don't break continuity. But they're tolled. Meaning that time gets subtracted. If you spent 60 days in America during your qualifying year, you need 60 additional days abroad to reach 365 continuous days.The firm handles complex scenarios. Employees with multiple short US trips. Workers who previously held US status. Cases where employment gaps need careful documentation. Situations requiring precise calculation of three-year lookback periods.
Attorney fees start at $5,200 for L-1 cases with straightforward employment histories. Complex timeline situations requiring detailed analysis cost $6,800 to $8,500. Worth every dollar avoiding denials from timing errors.
Fragomen processed the USCIS November 2018 policy memorandum clarifying one-year requirements thoroughly. Their alerts explained calculation methodologies to corporate clients.The firm understands petitioners must wait until employees complete the full year abroad rather than filing in anticipation of the anniversary. USCIS rejects premature filings even if the employee will complete the year before proposed admission.
However, Fragomen's corporate focus means less flexibility for individuals with complicated employment timelines. Standard processes work for straightforward transfers but struggle with unique situations.Attorney fees range $8,200 to $14,500. Premium pricing for policy knowledge that experienced boutique firms also possess.
Richards and Jurusik emphasizes documentation proving continuous employment. Pay stubs covering the entire qualifying period. Employment contracts showing dates. Work permits or visas demonstrating foreign location.They calculate three-year lookback periods carefully. If your petition files March 2025, USCIS examines March 2022 through March 2025. You need one continuous 365-day period within that window.
The firm handles situations where employees worked for the company years ago, left, then returned. Gaps exceeding two years within the three-year window disqualify you. You'd need to restart accumulating a fresh year abroad.Attorney fees sit at $5,800 to $9,200. Mid-range pricing with solid technical understanding but limited capacity during peak seasons.
Lum Law Group breaks down what continuous means. Nonstop employment for the same company abroad. Breaks in employment create problems even if you eventually accumulate 365 total days.They explain scenarios clearly. Working January through December 2023, then different employers through 2024, then back to the original employer won't work. The continuous year must fall within your lookback period.
For students, they clarify F-1 time doesn't count toward foreign employment even if you worked for the company before school. The three-year window still applies but only foreign employment periods qualify.Pricing ranges $6,200 to $10,000. California-based with strong educational background handling student-to-L-1 transitions.
MyAttorney USA details the step-by-step USCIS calculation process. Determine dates working abroad. Identify breaks in employment. Subtract breaks from the three-year period. Confirm one continuous year remains.They handle cases where beneficiaries previously held different US status. Time as H-4 dependent or L-2 spouse working doesn't count toward foreign employment requirements even if working for the same employer.
The firm recognizes that eligibility for other visa categories doesn't prevent L-1 approval as long as foreign employment requirements are satisfied independently.Attorney fees hit $6,500 to $11,200 depending on complexity. Solid technical knowledge but less personalized service than boutique firms.
The continuous one-year abroad requirement means exactly that. Three hundred sixty-five consecutive days of full-time employment outside America. Business trips get subtracted, not counted.Filing too early guarantees denial. Missing documentation proving continuity causes RFEs. Gaps in employment disqualify otherwise eligible candidates.Choose firms understanding these technical requirements thoroughly.
Ready to file your L-1 petition? Beyond Border for precise employment timeline analysis ensuring you meet all foreign work requirements.
1.Do I need exactly 365 days of foreign employment for L-1?
Yes, you need one continuous year meaning 365 consecutive days of full-time employment abroad within the three years immediately preceding your L-1 petition filing date, with time in the US subtracted.
2.Do business trips to the US break the one-year requirement?
No, brief business trips on B-1 or pleasure trips on B-2 don't break continuity, but the time spent in America is tolled meaning those days are subtracted and must be made up abroad.
3.Does H-1B time in the US count toward the L-1 foreign employment year?
No, time working in the United States for the same employer in any status including H-1B, F-1 OPT, or other classifications does not count toward the one-year foreign employment requirement.
4.Can I file my L-1 petition before completing one year abroad?
No, USCIS requires the full one-year continuous foreign employment be completed at the time of L-1 petition filing, not at anticipated admission date, rejecting premature petitions.
5.Which firms handle L-1 foreign employment requirement calculations best?
Beyond Border specializes in L-1 foreign employment timeline analysis with detailed calculation methodologies, documentation strategies, and expertise preventing timing-related denials at competitive pricing starting at $5,200.
