Dead8oy

Hello everyone,

After many years of planning and negotiation we are now applying for our US Visa through the company I work for. The visa I am reviewing is the EB1(c) - Multi-national Manager/Exec. My company are 'blanket' certified (although I may have the terminology wrong there), whereby the process for them handling international visas been simplified somewhat through their immigration lawyers.

I've been trawling the forums for some time and there seems to be very few who have gone through this particular avenue, with most taking the L1 path.

I will happily keep everyone up to date on our progress, and anything that comes up. If any of you have any experience with this path, or similar company sponsored Green-Card' routes, I would definitely be interested to hear of any pitfalls or simple sound advice that we can use as things start to pick up pace (it's been an intense build up to them agreeing to perform the transfer, and now it seems to be a case of hurry-up-and-wait since they agreed to start the ball rolling).

Glad to be here and hopefully will be around as we transition to the live of an Ex-pat and hopefully one day, US citizens.

Thanks for any helpful contributions from this excellent community.

Michael

L1-A is the managerial/executive blanket visa that is applied for. EB1(C) is the path from the L1-A visa to green card if the employee qualifies. Many on BE have previously followed that path.

fatbrit

Not necessarily. EB1 could also be an immigrant visa.

Michael

True for EB1 but EB1(c) is a path for an employee with a L1-A visa in the EB1 category to green card.

Blanket visas are L1 visas and wouldn't be needed if the company was only sending employees to the US on EB1 visas which could take a year or more to acquire.

fatbrit

I think most take the non-immigrant visa (niv) path rather than the immigrant one (iv) because that's their company's wish.

* The niv paperwork is reasonably quickly processed. With blanket certification, you could be starting work in the US next month. However, the iv paperwork is going to take a good few months or more.

* The US arm of the company gets to try you out without really committing to you on an niv. If they don't like you, you haven't got a leg to stand on. On an iv however, you can--basically--work for whom you please once you arrive since you will have residency irrespective of your employer.

* Companies hire lawyers to process your immigration paperwork. If the lawyer starts you on an L1 and then does your adjustment to residency, that's double the opportunity to suck from the teat.

fatbrit

I think from what he wrote that he's going straight for the iv. But I could be wrong.

Michael

I read it differently since he referred to blanket certified which I don't think can refer to EB1 visas. He also referred to EB1(c) instead of EB1 which generally indicates that the path to the green card will be done in the US.

fatbrit

The fact that he wrote the path was not well traveled was my overriding clue. Everyone and his uncle has done the L1->GC route.

Michael

True but he only has 3 posts so maybe he doesn't understand the difference since most posts refer to the L1-A visa when in reality the posts are referring to a L1-A visa with generally an EB3(c) path to green card.

Dead8oy

Hi all,

Thanks for all the responses. So by way of explanation, i have been with my company for over 15 years, and have a family who would be relocating with me. My company are supporting my desire to emmigrate, since I work from the UK on a US schedule while I run their global operation.

To this end we intend to file for the EB1 visa under the 3rd option (c) for multi-national manager/executive. I am sufficiently high enough in the company, with particular skills and reputation within my industry, that I believe we meet all of the requirements.

The intent is to process as what you refer to as IV rather than NIV, and eventually go for citizenship, as I am funding the move myself.

Hopefully that clarifies and doesn't muddy the waters further

Michael

Thanks for clarifying since the L1-A to EB1(c) while in the US is the more common path to a green card.

You are right that there hasn't been many on BE going that route but there have been a couple that applied directly for an EB1 visa based on their education/experience which doesn't require a sponsor or job.

Dead8oy

Thanks Michael, it's certainly a learning curve.

I'll keep you posted.

Michael

GeoffM is one of the more recent ones that applied directly for a EB1 visa as an engineer who is currently self employed. The following is a link to some of his earlier threads.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/searc...3&pp=25&page=5

Dead8oy

You're psychic Michael, I was reading a lot of Geoffm's posts and experiences earlier. I guess the big difference is going to be the employer sponsorship/processing.

I'll be trying to get an update on Monday.

Cheers,

BostonBrit Expat Since 03

I have just beeen though this and got my GC 2 weeks ago after taking approx 6 months in EB1C, its fast although not an easy path as it requires ALOT of documentation of managerial skills, resumes of subordinates, org charts reports, financials etc...as if you dont supply it they will ask via RFE. Any specific questions give me a shout.

good luck