The L1 visa allows multinational corporations to temporarily transfer qualified employees from overseas offices to their offices in the United States. To be eligible for an L1 visa, the foreign company must have an office abroad and be engaged in commercial trade with the United States, and the employee must have worked for the company abroad for at least one year. The initial L1 visa is valid for 1-2 years, and can be extended in 2-year increments up to a maximum stay of 5-7 years depending on reciprocity with the employee's home country. The L1 visa provides an important solution for companies to transfer skilled managers, executives, and specialists globally to help establish or manage their operations in the United States.