Do I need to have worked abroad before qualifying for an L-1 visa?

The L-1 visa is built around an existing relationship with your employer overseas. To qualify, you must have been employed abroad continuously for at least one year out of the three years immediately preceding your application.

That foreign employment must have been with a qualifying organization, such as a parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of the U.S. company, and the U.S. and foreign entities must share a qualifying corporate relationship.

The one-year abroad must generally be in an executive, managerial (L-1A), or specialized-knowledge (L-1B) capacity, matching the role you will fill in the United States.