L-1A Visa Manager Defined

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L1-A and L1-B Visas Introduction

Part 2 – L1A and L1B Main Requirements

Part 3 – L1-A and L-1B Manager Defined

Part 4 – L1-A and L1-B Executive Defined

Part 5 – L-1A and L-1B New US Branch

Part 6 – L-1A and L-1B Family Matters.

Welcome to the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram. We’re delighted to have you join us for part 3 in our video presentation on Intra-Company Transfers L-1A and L-1B Visas.  In this presentation, we’re going to review how US Immigration defines ‘management’ within an organization.

Overview of a Management Position: “To qualify as a manager under the current definition, the non-immigrant may also be involved in the high-level management of an essential function as well as supervising the work of other supervisory, managerial, or professional employees.” Another definition of managerial capacity would be: –

“An assignment [the position on offer] in which the employee primarily directs the organization; supervises the work of other supervisory, professional, or managerial employees, or a department or subdivision of the organization; has the authority to take or recommend such personnel actions as hiring, firing, and promotion; exercises discretionary authority over the day-to-day operation; and does not include first-line supervision unless the supervised personnel are professionals.”

Here, US Immigration would be looking at your organizational chart and see where in the organization your intra-company transferee would fit. US Immigration would be looking to see if the intra-company transferee was in a position of leadership. In other words, it is not sufficient to hold the title of manager, but the primary role of the transferee must be to manage others as opposed to doing the bulk of the day-to-day work themselves. Indeed, the manager’s staff must carry out the essential functions of the business.

Let’s consider the following case study – a transferring plastic surgeon from the UK is coming to the US to open up a clinic where he would be the only medically qualified practitioner. In addition, the business plan shows how the surgeon would hire a team of administrative staff to book all of the consultations and procedures, and handle all of the day-to-day financial paperwork associated with the business.

Under the L-1 visa manager definition, this application would not succeed because the manager must not be the person carrying out the core function of this business, but instead lead others to carry out this core work. In this case, it’s a medical practice and thus since the applicant is the only qualified practitioner, then he would be carrying out all of the medical procedures – in essence, the core functions of the business.

However, if the surgeon’s plan was to recruit other surgeons within the first year of opening the clinic, he would therefore hold a leadership role over the medical team he had established and this business model would be a better fit. There is case law where a sole employee of the US branch could qualify for an L1 visa. For example, and again using the above case study, if all of the surgeon’s staff was contracted in as needed – as free lance workers who came in as and when needed – then this business model would also meet the management requirements. Matter of X, 16 Immig. Rptr. B2-84 (AAO Feb. 29, 1996) and Matter of X, 10 Immig. Rptr. B2-13 (AA0 Apr.13.1992)

In the next presentation, we’ll focus on how US Immigration defines the ‘executive’ role within a company.

Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram

US Immigration Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram
Chris M. Ingram LL.M., ESQ – Immigration Attorney
Admitted in New York.
Practice Specializing in US Immigration Law
401 Wilshire Boulevard, 12th Floor,
[Cross Streets 4th and Wilshire]
Santa Monica,
California 90401
Tel: 310 496 4292

Specializing in the E2 Visa, EB1 Green Card, L-1A Visa and O1 Visa and K1 Visa Marriage-Based Immigration. Attorney Chris M. Ingram is dedicated to providing the very best in US Immigration legal representation. Enjoy our website.

Important Notice: Please note that all videos created by the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram are intended as general information only and not specific legal advice pertaining your case. If you would like specific legal advice on any immigration matter please do not hesitate to contact this law office accordingly. All pictorial images used in these videos and the website in general are licensed stocked images and not portraits, or otherwise, of anyone from the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, nor of its clients unless otherwise indicated by name. All images are used solely for illustrative purposes only. Copyright 2010-2015 All Rights Reserved.