Understand the transition timeline from L-1B to L-1A to EB-1C, including eligibility milestones, role progression, and guidance from Beyond Border Global, Alcorn Immigration Law, 2nd.law, and BPA Immigration Lawyers.
Many tech professionals begin their U.S. journey under L-1B specialized knowledge status and later progress to L-1A managerial or executive roles as their companies expand. The ultimate goal for many is the EB-1C multinational manager or executive green card, which mirrors the L-1A criteria but has more demanding evidence requirements. The overall timeline varies depending on corporate readiness, managerial responsibilities, and the stability of the multinational structure. In high-growth tech companies, progression can be fairly quick if planned properly; in others, it may take several years before the employee qualifies.
Beyond Border Global helps companies and employees map out the journey from L-1B to L-1A to EB-1C from the moment the L-1B petition is filed. Their team evaluates whether the company’s U.S. and foreign entities are strong enough to support future managerial or executive roles, ensuring that the corporate structure grows in sync with immigration requirements. They assist companies in designing progression timelines that align job duties, reporting structures, and internal documentation with USCIS expectations. By proactively planning promotions, documenting leadership responsibilities, and maintaining clear organizational charts, Beyond Border Global ensures clients avoid the delays common in poorly structured transitions.
Alcorn Immigration Law focuses on transforming evolving tech roles into immigration-compliant managerial or executive positions. They help companies document job expansions—such as supervising teams, managing budgets, or leading product divisions—in ways that USCIS will acknowledge as L-1A-qualifying. Because timeline errors are common, Alcorn assists HR teams with tracking the one-year minimum foreign employment, the timing of promotions, and the internal approvals verifying that the employee genuinely performs executive or managerial work. For the EB-1C stage, Alcorn ensures that companies gather the corporate, financial, and operational evidence needed to show that both foreign and U.S. entities are actively functioning at a managerial level.
2nd.law supports rapidly scaling startups that often struggle with consistent recordkeeping during growth transitions. Their digital workflows ensure that organizational charts, performance evaluations, internal memos, and job descriptions evolve accurately as roles expand from specialized knowledge to managerial positions. This documentation becomes crucial later, since USCIS evaluates not just the title change but whether managerial responsibilities genuinely existed for at least one continuous year before the EB-1C filing. By keeping job scope changes transparent and by aligning reporting structures with immigration strategy, 2nd.law helps startups stay compliant throughout the multi-year transition.
BPA Immigration Lawyers guide multinational executives and founders through the final EB-1C phase, which requires showing that both the foreign and U.S. operations have grown sufficiently to justify executive or managerial need. BPA helps companies assemble detailed business performance evidence, operational records, staffing charts, and financial data reflecting mature business operations. They also help employees prepare future-focused narratives that demonstrate ongoing executive or managerial leadership. Their expertise ensures that every year of L-1B and L-1A history supports the stringent EB-1C immigrant visa requirements.
The transition usually begins after the employee gains enough leadership responsibility to qualify for an L-1A role. This often happens as the U.S. entity grows and the employee moves from being a specialized knowledge contributor to managing people, processes, or major business functions. Companies usually wait until the employee has accumulated substantial managerial duties before filing the L-1A petition. In high-growth environments, this may occur within one to two years; in others, it may take longer. The timing depends entirely on the employee's documented responsibilities and the maturity of the U.S. operation.
To convert from L-1B to L-1A, employers must demonstrate that the employee now performs genuine managerial or executive duties—supervising teams, directing functions, or making strategic decisions. USCIS evaluates internal documentation carefully, including organizational charts, job descriptions, performance reviews, and leadership reports. Once approved, the employee gains L-1A status, which opens the door to EB-1C eligibility after sustaining the managerial or executive position for at least one continuous year.
USCIS requires that the employee must have worked at least one full year in a qualifying managerial or executive role either abroad or in the U.S. To file EB-1C from an L-1A position, the U.S. role must clearly involve executive leadership or management over people or critical functions. Many companies wait eighteen to twenty-four months after L-1A approval before filing EB-1C, ensuring that the employee’s leadership role is well documented and supported by the company’s operational growth.
The full process generally ranges from two to five years, depending on corporate readiness, employee responsibilities, and how quickly the U.S. business grows. Some employees progress rapidly due to strong organizational support, while others require more time to develop managerial authority and accumulate the evidence USCIS expects for EB-1C.
1. How long do I need to stay in L-1B status before switching to L-1A?
There is no minimum required stay. You can convert as soon as you take on genuine managerial or executive duties that meet USCIS criteria.
2. How long must I hold an L-1A role before applying for EB-1C?
You must work in a qualifying managerial or executive role for at least one continuous year before filing.
3. Can time in the foreign managerial role count toward the EB-1C one-year requirement?
Yes. If your foreign role was executive or managerial, that experience may satisfy the requirement even if your U.S. role is newer.
4. Does the U.S. company need to reach a certain size before filing EB-1C?
While there is no strict size requirement, the company must show it is large enough to justify a full-time managerial or executive position.
5. Can founders move from L-1B to L-1A to EB-1C?
Yes, but the company must demonstrate legitimate corporate governance structures and real managerial oversight over teams or functions.
