How do I become a permanent resident with a L1 visa?
It depends on whether you are an L1A or L1B. If you are beyond your first year in L1A status, you can immediately petition USCIS for lawful permanent residency (green card) as an international manager/executive. There is no current backlog on EB1 employment based immigrant petitions. Incidental to the green card you will get employment authorization and travel permission (if you choose to apply for it). If you are on an L1B, you first need to apply for permanent labor certification through the Department of Labor. Assuming that is approved, you can then apply for you immigrant worker visa, and then your residency once your priority date (i.e. the date your labor certification was filed) becomes current. Right now there is about a four and a half year backlog in EB3 employment based immigrant visas. Good luck!
