- 1 ▁vis a , ▁and ▁must ▁appear ▁personally ▁before ▁a ▁cons ular ▁officer ▁for ▁vis a ▁issu ance . ▁ ▁Change ▁of ▁Status ▁from ▁L - 1 B ▁to ▁L - 1 A ▁ ▁A ▁pet ition ▁to ▁change ▁status ▁to ▁L - 1 A ▁may ▁be ▁file d ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁a ▁foreign ▁national ▁in ▁L - 1 B ▁status ▁in ▁order ▁for ▁the ▁individual ▁to ▁move ▁into ▁a ▁manager ial ▁position ▁or ▁an ▁executive ▁position . ▁In ▁order ▁for ▁the ▁L - 1 B ▁worker ▁to ▁be ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁the ▁full ▁ 7 ▁years ▁of ▁L - 1 ▁status ▁typically ▁provided ▁to ▁L - 1 A ▁workers , ▁the ▁pet ition ▁must ▁be ▁approved ▁by ▁United ▁States ▁Cit iz ens hip ▁and ▁Im m igration ▁Services ▁at ▁least ▁ 6 ▁months ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁individual ▁reaching ▁the ▁ 5 - year ▁maximum ▁period ▁in ▁L - 1 B ▁status . ▁ ▁Lim its ▁on ▁employ ment ▁authorization ▁ ▁A ▁person ▁in ▁L - 1 ▁status ▁generally ▁may ▁work ▁only ▁for ▁the ▁pet ition ing ▁company . ▁If ▁the ▁L - 1 ▁worker ▁enters ▁based ▁on ▁an ▁L - 1 ▁blank et , ▁however , ▁it ▁generally ▁is ▁possible ▁for ▁the ▁worker ▁to ▁be ▁moved ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁capacity ▁to ▁any ▁other ▁related ▁company ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁blank et . ▁ ▁Crit ic ism ▁ ▁Some ▁industry ▁represent atives ▁have ▁accused ▁companies ▁of ▁util izing ▁the ▁L - 1 ▁program ▁to ▁replace ▁U . S . ▁workers .