L-1 Intracompany Transferee Visa
USCIS fee schedule G-1055 (edition 10/07/26): Form I-129 for L petitions USD 1,385 paper or USD 1,335 online (small employer or nonprofit USD 695), plus other fees that may apply. State Department: visa application fee USD 205; L blanket petition fraud fee USD 500. New USCIS fees take effect October 16, 2026.≈ $1,385
USCIS processing-times tool, Form I-129 at Service Center Operations, 80% of cases are completed within: H-1B 11 months (visa to be issued abroad), 10 months (change of status), 11.5 months (extension); L intracompany 6.5 months; O extraordinary ability 14.5 months. After approval, State Department wait times (updated 17 Sep 2026) for the visa interview in the petition-based group (H, L, O, P, Q): New Delhi 3 months, Mumbai 1.5 months (appointment wait only).
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Source-backed requirements
Eligibility
(1)Prior Continuous Employment
MandatoryThe employee must have worked for a qualifying foreign organization for one continuous year within the three years preceding their admission to the US.
Verified official
Qualification
(1)Qualifying Position Capacity
MandatoryThe transferee must be coming to the US to work in an executive, managerial, or specialized knowledge capacity.
Verified official
Preparation
(1)Employer Petition Filing
DocumentMandatoryUse the applicable L-1 petition procedure: generally an employer-filed individual I-129; an approved blanket route uses I-129S for the beneficiary. Canadian admission procedures and new-office evidence differ.
Verified official
Application
(2)Qualifying Corporate Relationship
MandatoryThe US employer must have a qualifying relationship with the foreign company, such as being a parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate.
Verified officialActive Business Operations
MandatoryThe qualifying organization is or will be doing business in the United States and at least one other country during the L-1 stay. A new office has additional branch-specific evidence; a registered office alone is not doing business.
Verified official
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Source citations
8 CFR 214.2 — Nonimmigrant classification requirements
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (DHS)
Current regulatory text reviewed2026-10-13: H-1B specialty occupation, certified LCA and equivalency; L-1 individual/blanket procedures and qualifying organizations; O-1 differentiated evidence and consultations. Shared with E-2/F-1 reviews; no fee or current-selection claim.
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