US visas for employees of a Dubai Free Zone?

[Rylan]

Hi
I'm currently putting together an immigration file for the US from Dubai. We have our company in the Free Zone here and I'm looking to transfer employees to our US subsidiary. I admit that I'm having a bit of trouble understanding the logic behind L1 or H1B visas in this specific situation. Since we started using Daftime to keep our internal records and compliance in order, I've been wondering: does the legal status of our company in the Emirates (Free Zone vs. Mainland) actually have a real impact on the US immigration process? And in terms of accounting/compliance to prove activity to immigration, do you have any advice or best practices to follow?

[rkk09]

Hi,
Free Zone vs Mainland in UAE does not matter for U.S. visas. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services only checks if your UAE and U.S. companies are properly related and doing real business.
For your case, L-1 visa is usually best since you are transferring employees from UAE to your U.S. office.
Just make sure you have clear proof of company relationship, active business (bank, invoices, payroll), and proper employee records.
Thanks