Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Hi all,

My husband, a UKC, has a 'Blanket L1' visa to work in the US.

We want to emigrate to the States - I am USC- and are wondering how this works.

From what I can see, the Blanket is the first step. His employer will have to file an i-129s to raise his status to L1, when it is approved we can move to the States.

When we get there we will file the AOS based on our marriage.

My questions are simple, I hope.

1. Is the above correct?
2. What is the filing fee for the i-129s?

Thank you a million!

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

1. no, he can't have a blanket L1. His employer may have Blanket approval, that will make the application they put in for him more straight forward.
2. Google: H and L Filing Fees for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker | USCIS

If you are a USC you can also apply for him to get a immigrant visa that will not be tied to his job.

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Are you saying your husband actually has the L1 visa in his passport?
Or are you saying your husband's employer has blanket approval?

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Thanks Fozzy and THT.

My husband has, in his UK passport, a visa from the US. On it, it says 'Blanket L1' with coverage for a 5 year period.

I am sorry if I've misunderstood - I was basing my research on what it says in his passport + what I read on various immigration boards.

Totally confused now!

***EDITED*** It also says, under 'Blanket L1': 'Must Present Approved I-129S At POE'.

I do understand that is the form his company must fill out to grant him an L1. POE must be point of entry.

Does this help make sense of his visa?

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

You are good to go then!

The I-129 should be in among the pile of documents that your husband's lawyers gave him to take to the embassy for his interview. Its easiest to take the whole pile with you and present it at entry - when I first entered on my L1 the CBP officer started looking through the stack I presented him with for it, then decided he couldn't be bothered and just stamped me in...

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

I am so confused!!! Haha :) Thank you Fozzy. This is fabulous news.

For some reason he thought it was restricted, like he could only work for 90 days of the year in the US.

But I haven't seen anything like that. It will just be WAY TOO AMAZING if we already have the green light and can move to the States, then file an easy breezy AOS and then life is sunshiny forever.

Oh wait, there I go being a positive American again. ;)

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Only downside is that the visa is "tied" to the employer.

If your husband ever ceases to be employed by that company then he has to leave the US virtually immediately. Best to go about getting the greencard (by virtue of marriage presumably) sooner rather than later just in case...

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

She's talking about her husband adjusting status once they're in the US so won't be tied to his employer then.

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Thanks Fozzy. We are going to apply for AOS immediately - to avoid catastrophes. I was told in the 'marriage visa' forum that this was possible, and would not affect his L1 with his job.

Do you know (sorry to keep asking but you seem to know this stuff) if we arrive on his L1 then immediately file the AOS based on our marriage, IF his employer were to let him go, would he still be allowed to stay if the AOS was in process?

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

I believe he would be able to stay - but that's just based on what I've read, my wife isn't American so I never had that option.

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Yes.

Rene

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

Thank you, Rene and Fozzy! :)

Re: Blanket L1 visa to L1 help
 

You should also look at an EAD and AP when you file for the AOS, will give you more options while you wait.