L-1 visa duration, extension and renewal

How long can you stay on an L-1 visa?

An L-1 stay is set in stages. The first petition for an existing U.S. office is approved for up to 3 years. A petition to open or join a new office is approved for up to 1 year. Extensions are granted in steps of up to 2 years. The total stay is capped at 7 years for L-1A and 5 years for L-1B.

For the base L-1 rules, see L-1 visa requirements explained (opens in a new tab). For how the 2 types compare, see L-1A vs L-1B (opens in a new tab).

What is the difference between an L-1 extension and a renewal?

They are 2 different steps. An extension adds time to the person's L-1 status and the employer's petition, and it is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Form I-129. A renewal is a new L-1 visa stamp in the passport, issued by a U.S. embassy or consulate so the person can travel and re-enter.

A person can have valid status with an expired visa stamp, as long as they stay in the United States. To travel and come back, they need a valid visa, unless an exemption applies, such as for citizens of Canada.

How does an L-1 extension work?

For an individual petition, the employer files Form I-129 with USCIS to extend both the petition and the person's stay. Under 9 FAM 402.12-14(B), the extension dates for the petition and the stay must be the same. The person must be physically present in the United States when the extension is filed.

The extension can be filed only while the current petition is still valid. Each extension is granted in steps of up to 2 years, and no extension can go past the total limit. Government processing times are set by the authorities.

For employees of a blanket petition, the employer files a new Form I-129S with a copy of the previous one, and asks for indefinite validity of the blanket petition if it does not already have it.

What is different for a new office extension?

A new office petition lasts up to 1 year. To extend it, the company must show the U.S. office is now doing business: regularly and continuously providing goods or services. The filing covers the office's staffing, the person's duties, wages paid and the office's financial status. After that first extension, later extensions follow the standard rules.

For what the first-year extension includes, see the L-1 new office extension (opens in a new tab).

How are the 7-year and 5-year limits counted?

The limits count the days a person is actually admitted and present in the United States in L or H status. Under 9 FAM 402.12-14(C), time in H status counts toward the L limit, and time in L status counts toward the H limit. Days spent outside the United States do not count toward the total.

Two details matter:

• Time as an L-2 dependent does not count against a later L-1 limit.
• A move from L-1B to L-1A allows the 7-year limit only after at least 6 months in the managerial or executive role, approved in an amended, new or extended petition.

Because days outside the United States do not count, it helps to keep records of trips abroad: passport stamps, travel records and arrival and departure records. Your attorney can use them to calculate the remaining time.

What happens when you reach the maximum stay?

Once a person reaches the 7-year or 5-year limit, no further L or H extension is possible. Under 9 FAM 402.12-14(D), the person must then live and be physically present outside the United States for 1 year before a new L or H petition can be approved. Brief visits during that year do not break it, but they do not count toward it.

There are limited exceptions. The limit does not apply in the same way to people whose U.S. work was seasonal, intermittent, or 6 months or less per year, or who lived abroad and commuted to part-time work in the United States. Clear evidence is needed, and the exceptions do not apply if the person's dependents lived in the United States in L-2 status.

Many L-1 holders plan a green card route well before reaching the limit. See L-1 visa to green card (opens in a new tab).

How does an L-1 visa renewal work?

To renew an L-1 visa stamp, the person applies at a U.S. embassy or consulate with the current approved petition. Under 9 FAM 402.12-15, visa validity follows the reciprocity schedule for the person's country, so it varies by nationality. The visa is annotated with the petition's expiration date.

A few practical points from the Foreign Affairs Manual:

• Consular sections can accept L visa applications up to 90 days before the start date on the approval notice.
• When a person applies for a new L visa before the current one expires, the old visa is cancelled and a new one issued.
• For blanket L renewals, a valid endorsed Form I-129S generally avoids a full new review, though the officer confirms the facts are still true.

Check the embassy's appointment availability on the State Department's wait times page before planning travel. Government processing times are set by the authorities.

Does an L-1 extension need a business plan?

Not always. A new office extension often benefits from an updated plan that shows the first year's results and the next period of growth. For an existing office, an updated plan can help when the role changes, the office expands, or the company adds a line of business. In each case, the plan's figures should match the financial records filed with it.

For what a plan covers, see what goes into an immigration business plan (opens in a new tab) and five-year financial projections (opens in a new tab).

Where does VisaPlans fit?

VisaPlans prepares the L-1 Business Plan (opens in a new tab), for new offices and for existing offices whose projections build on real financials. Expert-trained AI writes the plan and a human specialist reviews every page. Delivery is within 3 business days of confirmed information. See pricing (opens in a new tab) for what is included.