L-1 Visas for Canadians

L-1 Visas for Canadians are ideal for individuals who wish to reside in the states for a designated period of time in order to conduct business.

The L-1 visa is sought after by those who wish to reside in the states for a designated period of time in order to conduct business. This kind of visa can be good for as short of a period as three months for up to seven years for those who qualify for extensions. Many people successfully qualify for this particular type of visa each year, although nearly 20 percent of applicants are turned down. According to the U.S. Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), nearly 75,000 immigrants are approved the L-1 visa each year. Rather than an immigrant visa, this is primarily for people in the business world who only need to live in the United States for a limited amount of time.

Canadians make up a large group of those who file for L-1 intracompany transfer visas each year and many of those Canadian nationals need those visas to work in New York. In order to apply for this type of visa, applicants must be prepared to submit the following documentation:

Proof of Citizenship

Description of Occupation (Length of desired stay in U.S. and employment description)

Proof of Relationship (Proving connection between your Canadian and the U.S. employer)

Documentation of prior employment

The New York immigration lawyers at Pozo Goldstein, LLP can assist clients in gathering this information and presenting it in such a way that you get approved for your intracompany transfer. Those who wish to gain temporary working visas into the United States should be aware that there are two types of L-1 visas: the regular and the blanket visa. In general, blanket visas are easier to obtain since in the case of these workers, their companies have already been preapproved by the USCIS. These individuals can file what is known as a “blanket petition” and include additional information regarding their qualifications.

L-2 Visas for Spouses and Children

In some cases, those who wish to obtain access into the United States on an L-1 intracompany transfer visa may also wish to bring their families along with them. For this, our New York immigration attorneys can assist in filing for L-2 visas for both the spouses and children (under 21) of qualifying L-1 visa applicants. Like the L-1 visa, this type of visa is not permanent but is a non-immigrant visa. The length of time these visas are good for depends on the length of time the corresponding L-1 visa has been approved for by the USCIS. While in the United States, spouses on L-2 visas can be employed nearly anywhere a citizen can be employed. While it is not required, many still obtain Employment Authorization Documentation (EAD) and according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), dependent children of L-1 holders may have to complete additional paperwork to be able to work in the United States during their stay.

Looking for an immigration attorney in New York? Call our firm!

If you are a Canadian national or a citizen of another country and you wish to obtain temporary residence in the United States for the purpose of conducting business, then be sure to contact an immigration lawyer from our New York firm in order to be advised on the application process. We can help you prepare documentation, inform you of the necessary fees and deal with the USCIS for you. Our team is equipped with former U.S. immigration prosecutors as well as a former judge, so you can trust our knowledge of immigration law as it relates to L-1 transfer visas. To learn more, contact a New York immigration lawyer at Pozo Goldstein, LLP today!