L-1 Visa Cases with Equity Ownership in 2025 Owning company stock changes everything for your L-1 visa.Some immigration lawyers say equity helps. Others warn it creates problems. The truth? It depends on how much you own and how you structure it.L-1 visa equity ownership isn't automatically good or bad. But it requires careful planning. USCIS scrutinizes majority owners differently than employees with small stock grants.We compared five immigration consultation firms that handle L-1 cases with ownership stakes. Here's how they navigate this complexity.
Beyond Border excels at L-1 visa with equity ownership cases. They understand the nuanced rules around stock holdings.
What They Do Well
Their team analyzes your exact ownership percentage first. Own less than 50 percent? Usually fine. Own 50 percent or more? They restructure your case strategy completely.Beyond Border addresses the employer-employee relationship head-on. USCIS worries that majority owners can't truly be "employees" of their own companies. Beyond Border proves otherwise by documenting boards of directors, independent decision-making structures, and genuine employment relationships.
They're brilliant at handling L-1A visa majority ownership scenarios. They draft detailed corporate governance documents showing that someone else can fire you or control your employment terms. This evidence is critical.For minority equity stakes in L-1 companies, they position ownership as an incentive, not a control mechanism. This framing matters enormously.
Pricing
Initial consultation costs $250. Full L-1 petition with ownership complications runs $3,500 to $6,000 depending on your ownership structure and documentation needs.
Why Choose Them
Beyond Border doesn't avoid ownership cases. They embrace them. Their success rate with majority owner L-1 petitions exceeds industry standards because they know exactly what evidence USCIS requires.
Own equity in your company and need an L-1 visa? Book a consultation with Beyond Border to structure your case correctly from the start.
Fragomen handles corporate L-1 transfers where equity compensation is common. They see these cases regularly.
What They Do Well
They understand stock options and L-1 eligibility thoroughly. Many tech companies grant equity to transferring employees. Fragomen documents these arrangements properly.Their experience with publicly traded companies helps. When your equity is restricted stock units that vest over time, they explain why this doesn't create ownership concerns for USCIS.
The Downside
Less expertise with majority ownership situations. Fragomen primarily serves employees with small equity stakes, not founders transferring themselves. Their templates don't address complex ownership structures well.
Pricing
L-1 petitions cost $4,000 to $6,500. Add $1,000 to $2,000 for ownership documentation if needed.
BAL brings analytical rigor to L-1 ownership questions. Their platform flags ownership issues early.
What They Do Well
Their intake system asks detailed ownership questions immediately. What percentage do you own? Voting or non-voting shares? Board seat or no board seat?BAL documents the employer-employee relationship carefully for L-1 visa founders with equity. They gather employment contracts, board resolutions authorizing the transfer, and organizational charts showing reporting structures.They explain the 50 percent threshold clearly. Below that line, ownership rarely causes problems. Above it, everything changes.
The Downside
Their systematic approach sometimes misses creative solutions. Complex ownership structures need human judgment, not algorithmic processing.
Pricing
L-1 petitions run $3,500 to $5,500. Ownership complexity adds costs.
Klasko handles sophisticated L-1 cases with ownership interests. Their attorneys understand corporate law deeply.
What They Do Well
Exceptional expertise in majority owner scenarios. They structure corporate governance to satisfy USCIS requirements while preserving your control practically.Klasko drafts bulletproof employment agreements. These contracts establish clear employer-employee relationships despite significant ownership stakes. The language matters immensely.They're experts on L-1 visa for business owners who founded companies abroad and now want to expand to America. This common scenario requires special handling.
The Downside
Premium pricing. Longer timelines. Their thoroughness comes at a cost in both money and speed.
Pricing
Consultations start at $450. L-1 petitions with ownership complications cost $6,000 to $9,000.
Murthy has decades of experience with equity ownership L-1 cases. They've seen ownership structures evolve over time.
What They Do Well
They know the historical context. L-1 rules around ownership have shifted. Murthy understands what worked ten years ago versus what works today.Strong guidance on minority ownership. If you own 10 to 40 percent, they position this as reasonable equity compensation rather than control.Their affidavit templates address ownership concerns directly. Supervisors explain why the ownership stake doesn't interfere with the employment relationship.
The Downside
Less personalized attention. Their process feels standardized even when your ownership structure is unique.
Pricing
L-1 petitions cost $3,200 to $5,000. Reasonable for their experience level.
L-1 visa majority ownership creates scrutiny. Why? USCIS questions whether you're truly an employee if you control the company.The key issue is the employer-employee relationship. Someone must have authority over your employment. If you own 100 percent, who can fire you? Who controls your salary? Who supervises your work?Below 50 percent ownership, these concerns diminish. You're clearly an employee with some equity incentive.
Small equity stakes rarely hurt L-1 eligibility. Stock options vesting over four years? Not a problem.Restricted stock units? Also fine. These are standard compensation packages.Even 25 to 49 percent ownership usually works if you document proper corporate governance. Board of directors. Independent officers. Clear reporting structures.The best firms emphasize that your equity is compensation, not control. This framing shifts how USCIS views the ownership.
Own more than 50 percent? Don't panic. It's harder but possible.Beyond Border uses several strategies. Creating a board of directors with independent members who can terminate your employment. Documenting that investors or parent companies control key decisions. Showing that corporate bylaws limit your unilateral authority.Some founders transfer voting control temporarily. You own the economic interest but not voting power. This satisfies the employer-employee requirement.
Stock options are easier than direct ownership for L-1 purposes. Options are contingent. You don't actually own shares until you exercise them.USCIS treats unvested options as future compensation, not current ownership. This distinction helps significantly.Direct ownership, even small percentages, requires more documentation. You must disclose it and explain the employment relationship.
Cases with equity need extra evidence. Employment contracts specifying salary and terms. Board resolutions approving the transfer. Organizational charts showing supervision. Shareholder agreements defining rights and restrictions.Beyond Border creates comprehensive ownership disclosure packages. They don't hide equity. They explain it thoroughly with supporting documentation.
The biggest mistake is not disclosing ownership. USCIS discovers it eventually. Then your credibility is destroyed.Another error is claiming you have no control when you own 80 percent. USCIS isn't stupid. Be honest and prove the employment relationship through documentation.Some lawyers avoid ownership cases entirely. That's not a solution. You need a firm that embraces the complexity.
1.Does owning equity disqualify me from an L-1 visa?
No, equity ownership doesn't automatically disqualify you from an L-1 visa, but owning 50 percent or more requires additional documentation proving a genuine employer-employee relationship with oversight from boards or independent decision-makers.
2.How much equity can I own and still get L-1 approval?
You can typically own up to 49 percent equity without major issues, though any ownership stake requires disclosure and documentation showing employment terms, while majority ownership above 50 percent needs substantial proof of corporate governance structures.
3.Do stock options affect L-1 visa eligibility?
Unvested stock options rarely affect L-1 eligibility because USCIS treats them as future compensation rather than current ownership, though you must still disclose them in your petition and explain the vesting schedule.
4.Can L-1 visa holders be company founders?
Yes, L-1 visa holders can be company founders who own equity, but you must prove someone else controls your employment terms through boards of directors, independent officers, or parent company oversight regardless of ownership percentage.
5.What documentation proves employer-employee relationship with equity?
Strong documentation includes employment contracts specifying salary and terms, board resolutions approving your transfer and compensation, organizational charts showing reporting structures, and shareholder agreements defining your rights and restrictions despite equity ownership.
