ants ). ▁ ▁Types ▁of ▁L - 1 ▁Vis as ▁▁ ▁The ▁L - 1 ▁vis a ▁has ▁two ▁sub categories : ▁ ▁L - 1 A ▁for ▁execut ives ▁and ▁man agers , ▁valid ▁up ▁to ▁ 7 ▁years . ▁ ▁L - 1 B ▁for ▁workers ▁with ▁special ized ▁knowledge , ▁valid ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 ▁years ▁After ▁the ▁exp iration ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 ▁or ▁ 5 ▁years ▁respectively , ▁the ▁foreign ▁national ▁can ▁generally ▁only ▁qual ify ▁for ▁L - 1 ▁status ▁again ▁by ▁working ▁abroad ▁for ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 ▁year ▁for ▁the ▁parent , ▁subs idi ary , ▁affili ate ▁or ▁branch ▁office ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁company . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁types ▁of ▁L - 1 ▁procedures : ▁▁▁ ▁Reg ular ▁L - 1 ▁vis as , ▁which ▁must ▁be ▁applied ▁for ▁and ▁approved ▁for ▁each ▁individual ▁by ▁the ▁US C IS ; ▁and ▁▁ ▁Bl ank et ▁L - 1 ▁vis as , ▁which ▁are ▁available ▁to ▁employ ers ▁that ▁meet ▁certain ▁criteria . ▁ ▁For ▁a ▁regular ▁L - 1 ▁vis a , ▁the ▁company ▁must ▁file ▁a ▁pet ition ▁with ▁the ▁US C IS ▁and ▁each ▁pet ition ▁is ▁evaluated ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁mer its . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁a ▁blank et ▁L - 1 ▁vis a ▁pet ition , ▁it ▁has ▁already ▁been ▁determined ▁by ▁US C IS ▁that ▁the ▁company ▁qual ifies ▁for ▁the ▁issu ance ▁of ▁In tra company ▁Trans f eree ▁vis a ,