L-1 Visa Processing Time

By Tiara

An employment visa for foreign workers is called an L-1 visa. It allows your employer to hire you, giving them permission to employ you in their business. Your new employer must be able to prove that they have enough openings and that they will pay you a decent wage.

In addition to these requirements, your employers needs to show that they made every effort to recruit local employees first. This is known as recruitment of qualified native speakers or B-2 level immigrants.

If all of this is true then your employer can submit applications on your behalf for an L-1 visa. You would receive it once it has been approved and you have received your work permit!

However, what people don’t realize is just how long it takes for things to move forward after submitting such an application. There are so many different stages to processing time and each one takes its own amount of time.

Why would I need an L-1 visa?

l-1 visa processing time

An employment based immigrant (EBI) or nonimmigrant worker (NIW) visa is called an L-1 visa. These visas are given to employers that intend to hire workers from outside their country for at least a year.

The employer can then use this individual as an employee in its own workplace, bringing them under company rules and regulations. This also gives them the same benefits such as health insurance etc.

If you are looking to move abroad for work, make sure you have all of your documents ready! There are many ways to process your L-1 visa, so do some research and find what works best for you.

Do I need to submit my application in person?

l-1 visa processing time

Even though it is not required, most employers will require you to apply in their office or via their internal app system. This is because they want to make sure that no one files an inaccurate document or submits fraudulent information as part of applying for the visa.

If this happens, then the employer may choose to deny your employment entirely, or at least revoke the permit so that you can return home. Or worse, they could report you to immigration authorities!

So even if you do not have to file your documents with us, we still recommend doing so as a precaution. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to verifying your identity and employment eligibility.

Illegal workers are a risk, whether they are conscious of this or not. We cannot allow people to work here on a visa unless we are certain that they are legally entitled to remain.

How long does the process take?

l-1 visa processing time

The first step in obtaining an L visa is to have your documents processed at one of VISA’s member processing facilities. These facilities are typically located within close proximity to where you live, so it can be easy for you to visit quickly.

Most people find that the overall process takes around two weeks, although this time frame can vary widely depending on how many employees work at the facility, what kind of paperwork needs to be completed, and the number of things that go wrong during the process.

If there are any significant delays or problems, then the timing may get pushed back slightly or even significantly!

There are several different stages to completing your application, which makes the process seem longer than it really is.

Can I get my visa before I leave for my trip?

l-1 visa processing time

If you have no reason to stay in Australia beyond your tourist visa, then you can still come back. You just need to reenter Australia within six months of your initial visit.

If you do decide to return from your trip, there is an easy way to do it. Many countries recognize each other’s visas so that you don’t even need to apply for another one when you enter the country again.

The thing about this rule is that most nations will only accept the earlier expired visa as proof of entry if you had received it at the airport. Because we recommend getting yours off line online, we are sure you’ll make it home safely!

We also put together some tips for staying in touch while you’re away, which include using trusted apps to chat, email, and share photos and videos.

What are my options when it comes to spending money?

l-1 visa processing time

As mentioned before, there are many ways to process your visa outside of using an Immigration Office or VISA SERVICE COMPANIES. This is called “self service” as you can do most things yourself without hiring professional help from VISA.

The best way to spend money if you are looking to stay in the United States for less than two years is by processing your own visa at home!

This will cost you around $100-$150 USD depending on how much proof you have (proof like receipts, pictures, documents). There are several companies that offer this service so check out our article here to find one that works for you.

They all seem similar but they are worth checking out just to see which ones work best for you.

Will I get my visa on time?

l-1 visa processing time

The second major factor that can slow down your visit is how long it takes to process your L-1 visa at the embassy or consular office you will be visiting for work. This includes getting approval, finding an appointment, going to the appointment, and actually doing the paperwork in person.

Some countries require only one meeting with employees of the sponsoring company, but others may ask for several interviews. How many meetings are needed depends largely upon what questions they ask and whether there is any dispute over the validity of the employment contract.

In some cases, they may even request proof of marriage or birth of children! While most employers preselect appropriate documents, this could add extra waiting time if they have to order them.

We recommend being prepared by having all your documentation ready before arriving at the airport, as well as knowing what days are best for appointments to avoid too much wait time.

What are my options when it comes to staying longer?

l-1 visa processing time

Unfortunately, you cannot do anything at all while your application is processing. You can apply for work outside of the visa waiver program or as an employee under a work visa. You can also look into living in the country if possible!

There are several ways to stay longer than six months. The easiest way to remain in the US for more than six months is to get a working visa. This article will go over some common routes for nonimmigrant workers’ visas.

Who can I contact for more information?

l-1 visa processing time

If you are experiencing long visa processing times, there are several things you can do to help reduce the time it takes to process your documents!

The first thing you should do is make sure your personal information is up-to-date. Make sure all of your social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses are correct and valid.

You may also want to check if your visa status has expired or been revoked. A lot of employers run background checks which could flag that as an issue.

If possible, you should be aware of what countries money goes through in. Some counties use different banking systems than others so hopefully you’ve already done this but it never hurts to double check.