Category: L Visas

The combined omnibus spending bill that Congress passed on December 18, 2015, includes several immigration measures. Among other things, the supplemental fees for L-1 and H-1B petitions are increasing for companies that employ 50 or more employees in the United States and have more than 50 percent of their U.S. workforce in H-1B, L-1A, or… Read More

A new L-1B policy memorandum (PDF) issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides guidance on the adjudication of the L-1B classification, which permits multinational companies to transfer employees who possess “specialized knowledge” from their foreign operations to their operations in the United States. It provides consolidated and authoritative guidance on the L-1B program,… Read More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued interim policy guidance on L-1B “specialized knowledge” adjudications that supersedes and rescinds certain prior L-1B memoranda. USCIS said it is issuing this memorandum now for public review and feedback. . USCIS will finalize the guidance effective August 31, 2015. The memo provides guidance on how L-1B petitioners… Read More

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is optimizing processing for first-time Canadian TN (Trade NAFTA) and L applicants seeking entry into the United States under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). CBP has designated ports of entry (POEs) that will ensure a more efficient approach to processing the high volume of TN and L… Read More

On August 9, 2013, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report containing recommendations aimed at improving the L-1 visa program in response to a request from Sen. Charles Grassley for an examination of the potential for fraud or abuse in the program. The L-1 visa program facilitates the… Read More