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When could I apply for a L1A visa?

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matt_pizz

Junior Member
Hello,

I am French and I am currently working in a French company created in February 16. I am 23 and I hold two master degree in mechanical & petroleum engineering from well-reputed French engineering schools.

My history with this company is described above:
1/ I joined this company as an intern in February 16 until April 16, then I came back to school.
2/ I joined this company again as an intern on July 16 until December 16.
3/ In January 17, I came back to school and my company offered me a part-time fixed-term contract (which should have ended in July 17 initially).
4/ I finished my study and I got a full-time contract in May 17, officially as a junior analyst. I can ask to have another job title if necessary.

However, since day 1, I have been in charge of finding and managing all the datasources used by the company (which is a analytic company selling reports to customers, mostly in the US). Due to this strategic position, we could say that I am in charge of a major part of the company and I am giving guidance to other product managers (even as an intern, I have been giving guidance to many full-time employees). I also had a six-week trip offered by my company during summer 16 in order to talk with many actors in order to calibrate the company models. I don't know if it is important, but almost all employees of the company are master degree holders.

Going to the USA would let me have a better exposure to the client and better understand of their needs in order to better advise product managers. There are already 1 Managing Director in charge of sales in NYC and 3 people working as Data Scientists in SF.

My questions are:
1/ I know that you must be working abroad during 1-year before applying to L1A. In my situation, when can I start counting for the 1-year period? Since I am an intern in July 16, on a fixed-term contract in Jan 17, on full-time contract in May 17 or only when I am officially "manager" (in other terms, should I negotiate with my company to have a "managerial" job title and then wait 1-year)?
2/ Could I be considered manager even if my official job title is "junior analyst"?
3/ Do you see in my situation any red flags to the issuance of a L1A visa? Could I ask then a green card?

Thank you very much in advance for your attention and your help!
 


LdiJ

Senior Member
Since your employer already has employees working in the US, its quite likely that your company attorneys already have a clear picture of what is needed to send employees to work in the US on a temporary or long term basis.
 

Just Blue

Senior Member
Hello,

I am French and I am currently working in a French company created in February 16. I am 23 and I hold two master degree in mechanical & petroleum engineering from well-reputed French engineering schools.

My history with this company is described above:
1/ I joined this company as an intern in February 16 until April 16, then I came back to school.
2/ I joined this company again as an intern on July 16 until December 16.
3/ In January 17, I came back to school and my company offered me a part-time fixed-term contract (which should have ended in July 17 initially).
4/ I finished my study and I got a full-time contract in May 17, officially as a junior analyst. I can ask to have another job title if necessary.

However, since day 1, I have been in charge of finding and managing all the datasources used by the company (which is a analytic company selling reports to customers, mostly in the US). Due to this strategic position, we could say that I am in charge of a major part of the company and I am giving guidance to other product managers (even as an intern, I have been giving guidance to many full-time employees). I also had a six-week trip offered by my company during summer 16 in order to talk with many actors in order to calibrate the company models. I don't know if it is important, but almost all employees of the company are master degree holders.

Going to the USA would let me have a better exposure to the client and better understand of their needs in order to better advise product managers. There are already 1 Managing Director in charge of sales in NYC and 3 people working as Data Scientists in SF.

My questions are:
1/ I know that you must be working abroad during 1-year before applying to L1A. In my situation, when can I start counting for the 1-year period? Since I am an intern in July 16, on a fixed-term contract in Jan 17, on full-time contract in May 17 or only when I am officially "manager" (in other terms, should I negotiate with my company to have a "managerial" job title and then wait 1-year)?
2/ Could I be considered manager even if my official job title is "junior analyst"?
3/ Do you see in my situation any red flags to the issuance of a L1A visa? Could I ask then a green card?

Thank you very much in advance for your attention and your help!
As an American I will advise you to stay away that is the mess of the USA till 2020.
You have no idea how sad it makes me feel to post that.
 

BigBenny

Junior Member
As an American I will advise you to stay away that is the mess of the USA till 2020.
You have no idea how sad it makes me feel to post that.

Not trying to make a big deal, but your post seems politically inspired. We all have our opinions on the Political atmosphere in this Country, but there is a lot of disagreement with one view as opposed to another. While your advice is tailored to your belief about the state of our Country, there would surely be various opinions that would result in advice that would be in opposition to yours. Not a good idea to give advice based on that. :(
 

t74

Member
I believe you are overestimating your position and worth within the company given your recent graduation and former assignments. You would typically need a lot more experience to qualify for L1A and a fast path to a green card.

The company has no track record if it was only formed in 2016. It doesn't sound like your company has the required presence in the US. All US employees sound like they are working remotely for the French company.

You could meet your stated needs on a B-1 visa.

I you are really interested in coming to the US, you need to sit down with your supervisor and discuss your career path and the company's plans.
 

Just Blue

Senior Member
Not trying to make a big deal, but your post seems politically inspired. We all have our opinions on the Political atmosphere in this Country, but there is a lot of disagreement with one view as opposed to another. While your advice is tailored to your belief about the state of our Country, there would surely be various opinions that would result in advice that would be in opposition to yours. Not a good idea to give advice based on that. :(

Yes my post was inspired by what is going on here. As an American I am allowed to do that. if you have an issue with me posting please feel free to report to M.

Have a nice day.Mister 9 post. ..:)
 
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HRZ

Senior Member
I have seen some very low level mundane positions go thru L-1 ...I suggest you rely on your company and counsel of its choice to sort thru the process and words ...and ageee with others there may be other visa fits .
 

matt_pizz

Junior Member
As an American I will advise you to stay away that is the mess of the USA till 2020.
You have no idea how sad it makes me feel to post that.

I understand your feelings but I believe that what make a country attractive is its people, whoever is President. I can also tell you that France is a mess since the financial crisis in 2007 :D
 

matt_pizz

Junior Member
Since your employer already has employees working in the US, its quite likely that your company attorneys already have a clear picture of what is needed to send employees to work in the US on a temporary or long term basis.

In fact, people already here are French people who have made a double degree with a US university, so I believe they have a working visa just after graduation. I want to have some ideas before discussing with my boss on this subject.
In my case, I would like to know if I can apply to L1A if I have worked 1-year and then have been promoted to a manager position, or should I have inevitably been a manager during 1 full year before applying?
 

matt_pizz

Junior Member
I believe you are overestimating your position and worth within the company given your recent graduation and former assignments. You would typically need a lot more experience to qualify for L1A and a fast path to a green card.

The company has no track record if it was only formed in 2016. It doesn't sound like your company has the required presence in the US. All US employees sound like they are working remotely for the French company.

You could meet your stated needs on a B-1 visa.

I you are really interested in coming to the US, you need to sit down with your supervisor and discuss your career path and the company's plans.

Not really, the guy in NYC is managing all US clients and there is a team of data scientists working on an independent project with SF researchers.
There is no problem with my position in the company. I believe I can easily ask another job title, but before asking to move to the US, I would like to know what the law says and I don't know if before applying I should have been a manager for 1 year, or just in the company for 1 year?

The company is well-funded with many ex-multinational CEO on the board. 2 of the company founders have also a double nationality (French / US)
 
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matt_pizz

Junior Member
I have seen some very low level mundane positions go thru L-1 ...I suggest you rely on your company and counsel of its choice to sort thru the process and words ...and ageee with others there may be other visa fits .

Was it a L1A or a L1B?
Could you specify the example please?
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Yes my post was inspired by what is going on here. As an American I am allowed to do that. if you have an issue with me posting please feel free to report to M.

Have a nice day.Mister 9 post. ..:)

I agree with you about the whole thing, so he will need to report me too.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
You apply for an L visa at the time your employer suggests you work in the US. You don't apply for a visa and then tell your employer you're going to work in the US.
 

matt_pizz

Junior Member
You apply for an L visa at the time your employer suggests you work in the US. You don't apply for a visa and then tell your employer you're going to work in the US.

I know this. Excuse me if I haven't been clear but I just want to know which conditions I have to comply with to make me eligible for an L1A visa before asking. I will not push my manager to move to the US if it is impossible to get a visa. From what I have read on Internet, the following conditions are:
(i) The subsidiary must be owned at least by 51% by the French home company (which is the case)
(ii) I have to be an executive or a manager (still not, but I can deal to be a manager soon)
(iii) I should have been working at least 1 year at the home company.

My question is: in my situation I described in the initial post, when does this 1-year period start? Or does it start only the day where I get an official "managerial" position?
 

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