Employment-based Nonimmigrant Visa

sponsoring them and that the petitioning company has employed them abroad in an affiliated office for
at least one year during the three year period immediately preceding the filing of the petition (there are exceptions if
the L-1 employee has been working for

the affiliated entity in the United States). If the L-1 employee is being transferred  to the United States to establish a new subsidiary, affiliate, parent or branch office, the L-1 visa is initially issued only for one year. L-1 visas are granted for a maximum period of 5 or 7 years.

An L-1 visa is issued to executives, managers and employees with specialized knowledge transferred
from a company outside the United States to a United States branch office.