L-1A · Approval statistics
L-1A Intracompany Transferee: Manager or Executive
Official USCIS statistics
OfficialDecision approval rate · FY2025
91.8%
Approved 22,535 · Denied 2,004
▲ 1.0 pts vs. same period a year earlier (FY2024: 90.8%)
Approved ÷ (approved + denied) in the same period. Pending cases are not counted. Decisions in a quarter can come from petitions filed earlier, so this is the share of decisions that were approvals — not the chance that a petition filed today will be approved.
Source: Nonimmigrant Worker Petitions by Case Status and Request for Evidence (RFE) (Fiscal Year 2024, Quarter 4) · Published Dec 16, 2024 · Retrieved Sep 27, 2026
Source: Nonimmigrant Worker Petitions by Case Status and Request for Evidence (RFE) (Fiscal Year 2025, Quarter 4) · Published Mar 24, 2026 · Retrieved Sep 27, 2026
L-1A by fiscal year (official)
Official| Period | Received | Approved | Denied | Decision approval rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 26,551 | 22,535 | 2,004 | 91.8% |
| FY2024 | 22,257 | 19,041 | 1,920 | 90.8% |
| FY2023 | 21,475 | 21,298 | 2,758 | 88.5% |
| FY2022 | 27,201 | 25,728 | 4,560 | 84.9% |
| FY2021 | 25,910 | 22,488 | 5,006 | 81.8% |
| FY2020 | 26,653 | 18,033 | 4,977 | 78.4% |
| FY2019 | 26,193 | 19,582 | 6,524 | 75.0% |
| FY2018 | 27,537 | 20,354 | 5,052 | 80.1% |
| FY2017 | 29,151 | 25,130 | 4,806 | 83.9% |
Source: Nonimmigrant Worker Petitions by Case Status and Request for Evidence (RFE) (Fiscal Year 2024, Quarter 4) · Retrieved Sep 27, 2026
Source: Nonimmigrant Worker Petitions by Case Status and Request for Evidence (RFE) (Fiscal Year 2025, Quarter 4) · Retrieved Sep 27, 2026
Recent AAO decisions
OfficialAAO decisions only include cases that were denied and then appealed. They show why some petitions fail — they are not an approval rate.
No AAO decisions ingested for this category yet.
Common RFE topics
Patterns based on the rules USCIS applies. The same issues come up in EB-1C RFEs.
- Interpretation Managerial or executive duties: a breakdown of duties and the share of time spent on each, to test whether the role is primarily managerial or executive.[1,2]
- Interpretation Staffing and structure: who relieves you of operational tasks — organizational charts, job titles, duties and pay records for subordinates.[1,3]
- Interpretation Function manager claims: evidence that the function is essential and that you manage it rather than perform it.[1]
- Interpretation Qualifying relationship: ownership and control documents for both entities.[2,4]
- Interpretation Doing business: proof of regular, systematic and continuous business in the U.S. and abroad, not just an office or agent.[2]
- Interpretation The year abroad: continuous full-time employment in a qualifying role within the 3-year window.[2]
- Interpretation New-office extensions: staffing, wages paid and financial status after the first year.[2]
- Extensions: proof that you maintained L-1 status, which the regulation requires with every extension request.[5]
This information is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not predict the outcome of any individual case.
Sources
- 1.USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part L, Chapter 3 - Managers and Executives (L-1A)USCIS · USCIS Policy Manual · Checked Sep 27, 2026
- 2.8 CFR 214.2(l) - Intracompany transfereeseCFR (Office of the Federal Register) · Regulation · Checked Sep 27, 2026
- 3.8 U.S.C. 1101 (INA 101) - Definitions, incl. 101(a)(15)(E), (H), (L), 101(a)(44), 101(a)(45)U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Law Revision Counsel · Statute · Checked Sep 27, 2026
- 4.Instructions for Form I-129 (edition 09/09/26)USCIS · Form / instructions · Checked Sep 27, 2026
- 5.8 CFR 214.1 - Requirements for admission, extension, and maintenance of statuseCFR (Office of the Federal Register) · Regulation · Checked Sep 27, 2026