What to Expect in an L-1B Visa Interview

The L-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that lets a U.S. company bring over an employee with specialized knowledge from one of its overseas offices.

If you’re getting ready for your first L-1B visa interview at the U.S. consulate, there are a few key things you should prepare for.  

Know Your Documents

Bring all required documents and be familiar with your petition. This can include things like your valid passport, visa appointment letter, DS-160 confirmation page, I-797 approval notice, a copy of the I-129 petition, and recent passport photos.

At any given point during the interview, an officer may ask to see a specific document, and you'll feel much more confident if you know exactly where to find it.

If you're unsure about what to bring, discuss that with the legal team who prepared your application. They're your first and best resource to ask any questions you want to clarify before your interview.  

Who Are You?

You can expect straightforward questions: your full name, date of birth, and other basic biographical information. You’ll also need to show that you've been working full-time for your company abroad for at least one year in the past three years. Proof of this, such as past paystubs, should be contained in your original L-1B petition filing.

What Does Your Company Do?

You may be asked about the company you work for outside the U.S.:  

• What does the company do?  

• How big is it and where does it operate?  

You should also understand and be ready to explain the connection between the U.S. company and foreign company you work for, whether it’s a parent, subsidiary, branch, affiliate, etc. An experienced attorney will prepare documentation, but you’ll still need to be able to explain it clearly.

What Specialized Knowledge Do You Have?

The most important part of the L-1B visa interview will be demonstrating that you have specialized knowledge.  Be prepared to answer questions about your role with the company abroad and what you’ll be doing in the U.S. such as:

• What is your title and what are your duties?  

• How does specialized knowledge fit into your role?

• Why does the U.S. need your specialized knowledge now?

When you go into your L-1B interview, it’s helpful to understand how officers look at “specialized knowledge.” They usually break it into two types: special knowledge and advanced knowledge.  

Special Knowledge  

This means you know something unique about how your company operates—like its products, services, or processes—that isn’t widely known outside the business. It’s the kind of insider expertise that’s hard or costly for the company to replace quickly. In other words, you understand how your company does things in a way that others typically don’t.

Advanced Knowledge

This is more about the level of your expertise. You’ve developed skills or understanding that go beyond what’s normally expected in your industry. It might come from years of experience, training, or education, and it shows you can operate at a higher level than most people in your field.

So if you’re asked in the interview, you’ll want to think about how your experience shows one—or both—types of knowledge. For example, maybe you know a proprietary process that only people at your company use (special), or maybe you’ve developed expertise in a complex technology that’s rare in your industry (advanced).

Why Are You Being Relocated?  

You’ll may be asked to explain why you’re being transferred to the U.S. The officer might even ask you directly why the U.S. company can’t just hire a local American worker or what makes you special compared to others at your company or in your industry?

Be prepared to emphasize why your knowledge isn't easily replaced, whether that takes years of training, experience, or unique responsibilities. Make sure your answers line up with the support letter and documentation in your application.

Conclusion

Your interview will likely come down to a few main things:

• Who you are and your background.  

• What your company does and your role abroad.

• Why your knowledge is temporarily needed in the U.S.

Preparation and clarity go a long way. If you have questions about employment immigration or preparing for the L-1B Visa interview, check in with an experienced immigration attorney.

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