How to Apply for a Green Card in 2021?

What is the Green Card Lottery?

Green Card is a document that allows you to legally live and work in the United States. You can become its owner by winning the Green Card lottery.

The lottery began to be held in 1994. Every year, the American State Department carries out a lottery draw, based on the results of which 50,000 green cards are drawn. Thanks to immigrants, the country has received an influx of new experience and culture. Each nationality has contributed to the development of the nation.

Video from the official Youtube channel of the US Embassy:

Deadlines for submitting an application for participation in the lottery

To participate in the Green Card lottery, you must submit an online application in accordance with all the rules.

You can apply for participation in the Green Card DV-2022 lottery from the beginning of October to the end of November.

Application forms are accepted on the resource https://dvprogram.state.gov/ absolutely free of charge. This resource is official; all other sites offering to fill out an application are not official and may charge financial compensation for their services. We do not recommend applying on such sites.

The application is a form that must be filled out in English. Only 1 form is completed per person. If this rule is violated, all entrant entries will be disqualified.

Requirements for participation in the lottery

Official instructions for the DV-2021 lottery

Instructions DV-2021 in Russian

Almost anyone can take part in the drawing. Main requirements:

1. The country where the applicant lives must be on the list of countries allowed to participate in the Green Card DV-2022 lottery. If it is excluded, there are two possibilities to apply for participation:
   If the applicant's husband/wife is from an eligible country, that country must be indicated on the form.
2. If both parents were born in another state, and at the time of the applicant’s birth were citizens of another country (Eligible), you can indicate it as your country of residence.
3. The participant in the drawing must have a document confirming the presence of secondary education or its equivalent. If there is no certificate, you must have work experience in a position that requires training lasting 2 years. Moreover, the experience must be acquired within the last 5 years. You should check the suitability of your experience using the electronic database at: https://www.onetonline.org.

What is Green Card Lottery

The Green Card Lottery is an annual drawing. What is the goal of the US government in holding this annual drawing? There are many versions, but two main ones can be distinguished. Some believe that the purpose of this lottery is to attract new specialists to the country and the draw is not entirely random. They select the profiles of only the educated specialists the country needs and dilute them with a small number of unqualified personnel.

The second version says that the United States is constantly in need of an influx of immigrants. The country itself was originally founded by immigrants and thus the government decided to constantly replenish the country's population. After all, as a rule, young people participate in the lottery, already educated and ready to work. And new legal immigrants mean taxes and cheap labor, since for the first 2-3 years immigrants work in low-skilled jobs.

Therefore, participation in the lottery is absolutely free and almost anyone can take part in it, with the exception of those born in countries excluded from the lottery. But the list of excluded countries is small. A country is excluded from the drawing if the number of immigrants from that country is large enough. Another significant rule of the lottery is that each participating country cannot receive more than 7% of the total number of immigrant visas.

Another feature of the lottery is that the draw is tied not to the calendar year, but to the financial year. Therefore, the results of the study become available in the spring of next year. For example, if you participate in the Green Card lottery in 2021, the winners will become known in the spring of 2021, and they will be able to emigrate to the USA as early as 2021. Therefore, the Electronic Diversity Visa Lottery 2023 is held in 2021, and the DV Lottery 2021 was held in 2021 and the winners moved to the States only in 2021.

The requirements for participants are quite democratic. It is enough to have a secondary education or confirmed two years of work experience, but the experience must be gained within the last 5 years. Roughly speaking, you can even not have an education and you will still be allowed to participate in the lottery. Persons with the following diseases are not allowed to participate: syphilis, gonorrhea, leprosy, class A tuberculosis. Also, the participant must not have a criminal record or violation of the American visa regime.

Chances of winning in DV Lottery

What are the chances of participants winning the lottery? We made a small sample of some countries of the former USSR for 2021, that is, participants submitted questionnaires in 2021, and the results were announced in 2018. Based on these data, you can calculate the approximate chance of winning the Green Card lottery.

The table below shows the number of visas issued to winners of the US Green Card Lottery

How to prepare a photo for a Green Card

To successfully fill out the application form for the Green Card 2022, it is important to prepare a high-quality photograph that meets all the requirements. There are known cases where participants were disqualified due to an inappropriate photo.

Photos can be taken:

1. In the studio.
   Usually they know the requirements, but just in case you should take the rules with you and provide them to the photographer;
2. At home.
   If you wish, you can take a photo yourself. For this you will need:
   a sheet of white Whatman paper or a sheet for the background. You can take a photo against a white wall.
3. Good lighting
4. Digital camera.
5. Scan a printed photograph.

It makes no difference whether the image was taken independently or in a photo studio. The main thing is that it meets the rules below.

Green Card photo requirements

You can take a new or scan a recent (taken within the last 6 months) digital photograph so that it meets all the requirements listed below.

The photographs uploaded along with the initial application must be of the same quality and composition as the US visa photographs. You can see examples of photos that meet the requirements here.

⛔️ Do not upload a photo that was taken more than 6 months ago, or a photo that does not meet all of the requirements below. ⛔️ Use of photographs that you have already used in previous entries, as well as photographs that have undergone any processing, or photographs that do not meet all of the requirements below will disqualify your entry.

Your photograph or digital image must meet the following requirements:

• Color image;
• In focus;
• The height of the head in the image should be 22-35 mm (1-1-3/8 inches), or 50%-69% of the total height of the photo. The photo should show your entire head, from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin;
• The photo was taken within the last 6 months and corresponds to how you currently look;
• The background of the photo should be white or close to white;
• When taking pictures, look straight into the camera;
• Facial expression should be neutral, eyes open;
• Clothes that appear in the frame should be casual;
• ⛔️ Photos of applicants in uniform will not be accepted. The exception is clothing worn every day for religious reasons;
• ⛔️ Photos of applicants wearing a headdress that hides their hair or hairline will not be accepted. The exception is hats, which are worn every day for religious reasons. The face must be completely visible, the headdress must not obscure the face;
• ⛔️ Photos in which the applicant is depicted with headphones, wireless headsets and similar devices will not be accepted;
• ⛔️ Do not take pictures with GLASSES;
• If you regularly wear hearing aids or similar devices, you can take photos with them.

Check out photo examples on the Photo Examples page.

⛔️ Photos copied or scanned from driver's licenses or other official documents will not be accepted.

⛔️ Also not accepted are household photographs, photographs from magazines, low-quality photographs taken in vending machines or on a mobile phone, as well as photographs taken in full body.

Technical requirements for digital photo:

• The image must be in JPEG (.jpg) format
• Maximum allowed image size 240kB (kilobytes)
• Pixels must be square (image width must be equal to height)
• Acceptable resolution 600 x 600 pixels

Technical requirements for the scanned photo:

If you want to scan a paper photo, in addition to the requirements for digital photos, the paper photo must meet the following requirements:

• 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
• Resolution 300 dpi (12 pixels per millimeter)

How to crop a photo yourself

You can use the free photo editor on the State Department website:

1. Select a digital image saved on your computer
2. Resize and position the photo if necessary
3. Cut the photo to the required size 600 x 600 pixels

For those who have skills in working in a photo editor, for example, Adobe Photoshop, we have posted photo templates for preparing photos on their own.

Examples of photographs of adults

HOW TO:

WHAT NOT TO:

Child's photo on Green Card

When photographing babies and young children, make sure that only the child is in the frame. The child must look directly at the camera. The child's eyes should be open.

Tip #1: Place your baby on his back on a white or off-white cloth. This will provide support for the baby's head and the necessary background for the photo. Make sure there is no shadow on the baby's face, especially when holding the camera over a lying baby.

Tip #2: Cover the car seat with a white or off-white fabric and take a photo of your child in the seat. This will also provide support for the baby's head.

Examples of photographs of children

HOW TO:

WHAT NOT TO:

How to check a photo

Before submitting the form, check the photo using the photo validator https://greencardphotocheck.com/ru/

Official requirements for photography (in English)

Step-by-step instructions on how to fill out an application for a Green Card

Be sure to use Microsoft Explorer, Safari or Chrome browsers. In Firefox, the official website may not work correctly and may not open some pages.

Photo requirements

The most important part when filling out a Green Card application, a bad photo is the main reason for refusal.

1. The image must be in color.
2. The image is square, the width is equal to the height.
3. The minimum dimensions are 600 by 600 pixels, the maximum are 1200 by 1200 pixels.
4. 24 bit sRGB image.
5. File format: JPEG.
6. If an image needs to be compressed if its size exceeds the maximum allowed for uploading, then the compression ratio must be equal to or less than 20:1.
7. Size 240 kilobytes or less.
8. Head size from 22 mm to 35 mm or 50% and 69% of the total image height (from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head).
9. Made within the last 6 months.
10. On a white or almost white background.
11. Full-face, look strictly straight into the camera.
12. With open gases and a neutral facial expression.
13. Wear normal everyday clothes, not a uniform. Religious clothing is permitted.
14. No hats or headdresses.
15. No headphones or hands-free devices (hearing aids permitted).
16. Glasses, starting from 2021, are prohibited in photos!

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Instructions THE 2021 DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM (DV-2020)

The quota for 2021 is 50,000 visas. As in previous years, applications from the following countries are not accepted:

• BANGLADESH.
• BRAZIL.
• CANADA.
• CHINA (natives of the mainland).
• COLOMBIA.
• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
• SALVADOR.
• HAITI.
• INDIA.
• JAMAICA.
• MEXICO.
• NIGERIA.
• PAKISTAN.
• PERU.
• PHILIPPINES.
• SOUTH KOREA.
• GREAT BRITAIN (except Northern Ireland).
• VIETNAM.

Registration for the lottery, with an example of filling

Click the “ Begin Entry” . Enter the captcha (if it is not clear what is shown, you can listen to it). Enter the following data:

Full name

Your last name, first name, patronymic/middle name. Write your full name strictly in accordance with your passport. Last/Family Name – write your last name here, as in your international passport.

First Name – name. We write with a capital letter, then lowercase.

Middle Name - patronymic. If your passport indicates a middle name in Latin, then enter it; if not, check the “No middle name” box. For Russians, patronymics are usually not indicated.

How to fill out the Green Card application

The form must be filled out in English letters. For transliteration use the table:

We go to the lottery website https://dvprogram.state.gov/ and press the green “BEGIN ENTRY” button. On the next page, enter the code from the picture and get to the questionnaire page.

The application form for participation in the Green Card Lottery 2022 indicates biographical information:

1. Name (name) The data is indicated according to the international passport .

Last/Family name

- only the applicant’s last name is indicated here

First Name

— participant name

Middle Name

— this column indicates the second (middle) name (if any). Sometimes participants enter their middle name here - this is not a mistake.

However, now the rules have changed a little, so be guided by the following: the spelling of the middle name must match the spelling in the international passport on the first page, if you have one at the time of filling out the application.

– If your middle name is written in the Latin alphabet, then write it. – If a foreign country does not have a middle name in Latin, but does have one in Cyrillic, then DO NOT write it. – If there is no middle name abroad at all, then DO NOT write it.

If the item is not filled in, you need to check the box next to “No middle name”.

2. Gender (gender of the participant) Male - man, Female - woman.

3.
Birth Date Be careful - first indicate the month, then the day and year.
4. City Where You Were Born Place of birth (modern name of the locality) in which the applicant was born, indicated on the birth certificate. For example, if you were born in Leningrad, then write Saint Petersburg. It is recommended to write the old and new names separated by a dash, for example, Leningrad – Saint Petersburg. You only need to write the name of the city or town (village). The name of the region, district, etc. does not need to be written.

5. Country Where You Were Born Choose your country of birth.

6. Country of Eligibility for the DV Program The country from which the applicant is participating is indicated:

• in case of participation from the country of birth, you just need to select “Yes”;
• if participation comes from the country of birth of the spouse (parents), check the box next to “No” and select the required country from the list.

7. Passport NEW REQUIREMENT FOR DV PROGRAM 2022. Indicate the first name, last name, patronymic (if available in the passport), foreign passport number, expiration date of the current unexpired foreign passport of the main applicant, country of issue.

– If your middle name is written in the Latin alphabet, then write it. – If a foreign country does not have a middle name in Latin, but does have one in Cyrillic, then DO NOT write it. – If there is no middle name abroad at all, then DO NOT write it.

If the item is not filled in, you need to check the box next to “No middle name”.

This requirement applies only to the main applicant and does not apply to family members of the main applicant. You must enter information about your valid foreign passport only if:

• You are not stateless
• You are not a citizen of a communist country, unable to obtain a passport from the government of a communist country,
• You are a person who has received an individual waiver (waiver) approved by the US Secretary of Homeland Security and the US Secretary of State.

8.
Entrant Photograph Here you need to upload a photo prepared according to all the requirements.

9.
Mailing Address (Applicant's postal address) You can indicate any address where it can be found (in Latin). This could be your address, your relatives, friends, acquaintances, or the address of your PO box.

a. In Care Of (optional) - last name, first name of the recipient

b. Address Line 1 - street, house, apartment number

c. Address Line 2 (optional) - if the information from clause 8b. does not fit, then you can add it here. If everything is included, it is left empty.

d. City/Town - name of the locality

e. District/County/Province/State - district, district, region, province

f. Postal Code/Zip Code - index

g. Country - country

10.
Country Where You Live Today The state in which the applicant currently resides.
11.
Phone Number Here write your phone number in international format.
This field is optional, but recommended. An example of writing a mobile phone number in Moscow, if dialed from the USA: 011-7-905-XXX-XX-XX 12.
E-mail Address Enter the email address that belongs to the applicant. In the second field, email again to confirm

13. What is the highest level of education you have achieved, as of today? (Education)

You need to choose the option that corresponds to the highest level of education that the participant has today:

• Primary school only - only primary school
• High school,no degree - high school without a certificate
• High school degree - secondary school with a certificate
• Vocational school - secondary specialized, vocational school
• Some university courses - incomplete higher education, incomplete higher education (technical school is also possible)
• University degree – completed higher education
• Some graduate level courses - unfinished master's degree, some courses at the master's level
• Master's degree - completed master's degree
• Some doctoral level courses – unfinished postgraduate/doctoral studies
• Doctorate degree - Having a doctorate degree

14. What is your current marital status? (Family status)

Here you need to indicate your marital status:

Unmarried

– single, never married
Married
– married
Divorced
– if a divorce is filed and there are supporting documents
Widowed
– widower / widow
Legally Separated
– divorced, but there is no certificate yet at the time of submitting the form.

If the questionnaire indicated the presence of a spouse, another page will appear for filling out information about the spouse:

14.

Last name and first name of the spouse

• wife/husband's last name
• her/his name
• middle name (if any).

14d.

- date when spouse was born

14e.

- floor

14f.

- name of the locality where the spouse was born

14g.

— country of birth of the spouse

14h.

— prepared photo

If the spouses do not have children, then this will be the end of filling out the questionnaire. If there are children, a page will appear for filling out their data (the same form is filled out as for a wife).

15. Number of Children

If there are no children:

If the applicant is single and has no children, leave this field blank.
This completes the filling out of the form. Click the Continue
, all the data you specified will appear.
They need to be checked carefully. If there are no errors, you need to click Submit
.

If you have children:

You must list all of your unmarried children under the age of 21, regardless of where they live or whether they intend to immigrate to the United States. The only exceptions are children who are US citizens or permanent residents. Write down the number of children.

If your spouse has children (under 21 years of age) from a previous marriage, you must also indicate them in your application. But your spouse's adopted children do not need to be listed. They are indicated only by the applicant himself in his application form.

If you indicated a spouse or children, the second part (Part 2) of the application will open. In the second part you enter data for them. Each person will need their own photo. The filling principle is the same as for the main applicant.

We advise each spouse to fill out the form. This way you will increase your chances of winning.

After filling out the form, click the “Submit” button.

The “Part One - Entrant Information” page will open with the entered data.

Review all data and check for errors. If you find an error, return to the previous pages by clicking on the “Go Back to Part 1”

and fix them.
If everything is ok, then click the “Submit” button.
If the application is successfully submitted, the “DV Submission Confirmation: Entry Received” with the inscription “Success!”

There you will see the Confirmation Number , which you need to SAVE .

Features of the Green Card Lottery

Every year 50,000 Green Cards are drawn. There are 100,000 winners in the drawing. This is done in order to weed out those who did not pass the interview or medical examination during the process of obtaining a migration visa, and some winners do not come to the embassy at all. I receive more than fifty thousand visas, since according to the rules of the lottery the winner has the right to take his wife and minor children with him. The age of majority in the USA is 21 years old.

The lottery is free for the participant, but after winning there are still expenses. And it’s worth preparing for them in advance, they will amount to about 2000-3000 thousand dollars, everything will depend on the place of residence of the winner!

Application deadlines

Applications are submitted in the fall of each year, usually in October, but the exact date becomes known later. Applications can be submitted within one calendar month. For example, if the acceptance of applications began on October 1, it will end on October 30.

We recommend filling out the form in the first days. Usually, by the end of the data submission period, the green card lottery website begins to slow down terribly. This comes from a sharp increase in the flow of participants; not only in Russia they like to leave important matters for later! Therefore, there is a high chance that you simply will not be able to send your data and will miss the chance to emigrate to the USA.

How to fill out the form for the Green Card lottery

Important! The form must be filled out only on the official website, the green card lottery website is dvprogram.state.gov. All other sites have nothing to do with the lottery. Moreover, if you send your data to an intermediary, then if you win, you may be required to pay additional money for the application number; amounts can reach $10,000! Therefore, never leave your data to unknown sites. Below are instructions: how to correctly fill out the form for the Green Card lottery. Going to the official website of the Green Card Lottery, look for the “Entry Form” and click “Begin Entry” .

1. Before filling you will be asked to enter a verification code (pay attention to the time it takes to fill out the form; you must complete the form within 30 minutes)

2. First and last name (First Name - Name, Last/Family Name - surname, Important! Middle Name - middle name, this is not a middle name, so check the box No Moddle Name
   )

3. Gender of the lottery participant ( Male - male, Female - female)
4. Date of birth ( Month - month, Day - day, Year - year)
5. City of birth (Important!
   Write in transliteration).

6. Country of birth (Modern name of the country. If you were born in the RSFSR, then choose Russia)
7. The country from which you are participating in the lottery (Participate from the country of birth, but if your country is not allowed to participate, then you can participate from the country of your spouse, in some cases from the country of birth of your parents, if you participate from the country of birth, then leave the Yes checkbox and move on to the next step).

8. We indicate the details of your foreign passport. The passport must be valid at the time of filling out the application. (For example, your passport is valid until October 10 of the current year, then by filling out the form before the 10th, your application for participation in the Green Card Lottery will be valid). In paragraph A) we indicate the first and last name as in the passport, as well as with the name in the first paragraph, put a tick No Moddle Name. In field Passport Number — indicate the passport number without spaces. In field Passport Expiration Date indicate the date (in the format month, day, year) until which your passport is valid. Further in paragraph Country/Authority of Issuance select the country from which you have a passport. If you do not have a foreign passport, for example, you are a political activist and the authorities do not issue you a foreign passport so that you do not flee the country, then check the box Passport Exemption I am not required to submit passport information because I am: and choose why you don’t have a passport. Stateless (no nationality) - you are a stateless person, A national of a Communist-controlled country, and unable to obtain a passport from my government — you are a citizen of a country controlled by communists, Unable to obtain a passport, and have received an individual waiver of the passport requirement by the Secretary of Homeland Security or Secretary of State - you do not have a passport because you were refused when trying to get one, prepare a document that confirms this, for example, a certified document confirming the refusal to issue a passport indicating the reason.

9. Uploading a photo for Green Card Lottery (Learn more about how to take a photo for the Green Card application)

10. We indicate the contact address (In Care Of - name of whom the address is registered in, Address Line 1 - street, house, building, apartment, if there is not enough space, write the remaining data in Address Line 2, City/Town - locality, District/County/Province/State - region, Postal Code/Zip Code - index, Country - country from the list)

11. Country where you currently live (select from the list)
12. Phone number (in the format +71112223344)
13. Email (indicate the mailbox in the format, repeat it in the second field)

14. The level of education (Primary school only – primary school (meaning the full 9 grades), High School, no degree – secondary school, without a certificate (for example, if you went to 10-11 after 9th grade, but for some reason did not finish, you must have a document confirming that you studied, if there is no such document, then choose Primary school only), High School degree – secondary school with a certificate (full 11 classes), Vocational School – vocational school (vocational school, technical school, college), Some University Courses - incomplete higher education, University Degree - higher education, Some Graduate Level Courses – some courses at master’s level, Master's Degree - master's degree, Some Doctorate Level Courses – unfinished postgraduate study, Doctorate Degree – doctoral studies)

15. Family status (Unmarried – never been married/has never been married, Married – married Divorced – divorced/divorced, Widowed – widow/widower, Legally Separated – in the CIS countries there is no legally established status “Legally Separated”)

16. Children (How many children under the age of 21 do you have who are not married? If your children under 21 are married, then you do not need to indicate them. Even if you are divorced, then indicate children who may not live with you and they could even change their last name, but they are biological relatives of you, we must indicate them).

Click on the “Continue” , we will be taken to a page where you can check everything again. And if everything is correct, send the form by clicking on the “Submit”

You also need to save the data you receive on the lottery website. They look something like this:

Entrant Name: FAMILIYA, IMAY

Confirmation Number: 20206RY1HGHGW43N

Year of Birth: 2000

Digital Signature: 1BBF22D39C99BCD31C95487E87256HSADFG89408FD

Be sure to keep them in a safe place; without them, you will not be able to find out the result of your participation. We recommend saving them electronically on your computer or in cloud storage. Don't give them to anyone!

How are the winners selected?

According to officials, the winners are selected at random by a computer. That is, absolutely anyone who fills out the form correctly can become a winner. The results of the drawing become known in May of the following year.

If you fill out the form in 2021, you will learn the result of your participation only in the spring of 2022, and you will be able to go to the States only in 2023. Therefore, it is customary to name the lottery by year. Those who are going to participate in the Green Card lottery in 2021 will officially become participants in the Green Card DV-2023, and those who filled out the form in 2021 participated in the Green Card DV-2019 lottery.

What to do if you win?

After you become aware of your winnings, you should fill out the DS-260 form. Until 2015, this form was filled out on paper and sent to the United States by mail, to the consular center in Kentucky. But now it all happens online. Please also remember to print and save the completed form. You will need it at the interview at the embassy; you must take it with you along with a package of documents.

The address of the embassy can be found on the official website www.usembassy.gov. Select your country, all countries are listed in alphabetical order. For example, the US Embassy in Ukraine is located at: 04112, Kiev, st. Aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky, 4 (former Tankovaya street).

What documents should I take with me to the interview?

Then the same expenses mentioned above begin. Below is a list of documents for a lottery participant.

1. International passport.
2. Internal passport.
3. Birth certificate.
4. Marriage certificate.
5. Divorce certificate, if there were previous marriages or marital status changed after the interview was scheduled.
6. Diploma and proof of qualifications (provided only by the winning applicant).
7. Work books + copies.
8. A bank account statement containing the required amount in dollars.
9. A document confirming the ownership of real estate.
10. Documents for the car if you own it.
11. Certificate of no criminal record.
12. Documents from the medical examination.
13. Photos 3x4 - 5 pieces.
14. For those who served in the army - a military ID.
15. Printed forms.

* - according to the new rules, there is no need to translate documents.

After the interview, the decision will be announced to you. They may send you home and tell you their decision later. If approved, all documents will be sent to your address. If you pass the interview, you will be given a package with documents - Immigrant Packet . It will be packaged and cannot be opened. The Immigrant Packet is presented to US Customs in a sealed form. You will have a visa in your hands for 6 months. During this time, you need to arrive in the United States and continue processing documents.

How to find out the result of the draw

You will be able to find out your winnings in the 2022 Green Card lottery in May. To do this, you need to use your individual number to go to the website https://dvprogram.state.gov/. There, in the verification form, you indicate your personal number (Confirmation Number), last name and year of birth. Then click Submit. If you forget or lose your Confirmation Number, it can be restored on the same site.

Read more: How to check your Green Card lottery winnings

In case of winning, the winner is assigned a case number. He and his family need to go through the visa procedure within a certain period of time. It is used to enter the United States to obtain a Green Card and resolve all other concerns related to living in the United States. Lose it by committing a crime, or leaving the country for a long time.

Read more: What happens after you win

VIDEO: Won a green card - what to do?

L1-A visa

L-1A is available for transferring company executives or managers.

A manager is defined as a person who is responsible for control and decision making in an organization.

A manager is someone who supervises other employees and departments, divisions and/or specific functions within a firm.

The US company must have a “qualifying relationship” with the company for which the employee worked outside the US. A parent, subsidiary, branch, or affiliate are examples of qualifying relationships.

Executives and managers of an existing US business are typically granted an initial visa for up to three years, with the possibility of up to two two-year extensions. The total possible period of time that a foreign employee is eligible to remain in the United States in L-1A status is seven years.

2