L1-b blanket visa

Old May 30th 2020, 10:33 pm
  #1  
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Default L1-b blanket visa

Hi all,

I posted a few weeks ago (thanks to those who answered!) and am now slightly further down the road with my application. I’m getting ready to submit my DS-160 and book an embassy interview. A couple of questions:

1. I can book an interview in London or Belfast - is there any reason for choosing one over the other? Not in terms of logistics for travel etc, but in terms of how easy the process is at each (I’m assuming they’re supposed to be identical, but wonder whether one is better in reality)

2. Does anyone have any idea of how frequently L1 visas are approved? My (large) company have blanket approval, I work in a niche role, have 2 relevant degrees, and they’ve failed to otherwise fill the role in the US, so I assume my chances are reasonable?


Appreciate everything I’ve said above is somewhat contingent on the COVID situation, but any initial thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!
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Old May 31st 2020, 4:03 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Just a general comment for any employment based visa applicant - it is always a good idea to read and understand the underlying petition and be ready to explain what you will be doing in your job.
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Old May 31st 2020, 5:05 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Make sure you can talk for a few mins about what you're doing in the role. Otherwise, give as much detail to the attorney's / paralegals you work with, they'll write *a lot* in support of your application so make sure they have the best information.

As it's employer sponsored, the which consulate issue is best discussed with them. They asked me to go to Belfast rather than London due to the lack of interview slots and they'd seen an increase in denials in London last year.

I'd also recommend reading everything in the pack they prepare for the interview carefully. Mine had a few issues that I asked to be corrected beforehand. I also got the impression the decision was made before I even few to Belfast and the interview was a complete formality.

Good luck!
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Old May 31st 2020, 10:05 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

The challenge with getting an L1-B based on a blanket petition is that unlike individual ones, UCICS hasn’t adjudicated on your application so the ConOff is charged with allowing/denying the application based entirely on the evidence presented at the appointment. Getting the blanket petition itself doesn’t rely on proving any specialized knowledge, just that the relationship exists and the company is of certain size/revenue. So I would think and prepare very carefully about how to describe your role, given that L1-B is entirely dependent on you proving that you have specialized knowledge about the company that no one else could reasonably know. (Ideally the lawyer should help you with this)

My old employer had a blanket petition, by the time I left I think there were 4 applications under it, 2 were approved, 1 denied and 1 withdrawn.
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Old May 31st 2020, 10:25 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

I'm a long way down the road with L1B.

I work as a Systems Engineer for a vey well known technology company. I got my initial visa at the embassy in Dublin in 2015, renewed it in the embassy in Bangkok in 2018 and just did a recapture through USCIS taking me through to April of next year. My wife also got her L2 in Bangkok before joining me here in North Carolina.

Dublin - The interviewing officer asked me about a time I had been arrested and I produced the court records showing my acquittal and my ACRO certificate - Visa issued.

Bangkok - Lovely lady interviewed me there and was interested in chatting about the company I work for and how much she loved the stuff we make - Visa issued.

Wife Bangkok - She went for her L2 with a stack of wedding docs, photos and supporting docs from my company. No questions asked - Visa issued.

USCIS - I got an I797a back within a month, I think a new petition was approved to extend my L1. The PED has passed but I think the visa is still valid but I am not too worried as we are currently AOS so I think this is just for a backup - Visa issued??

I wouldn't sweat it too much, In my experience, The L1 appointments are pretty relaxed.



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Old Jun 1st 2020, 2:12 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Not sure about your situation, but in my case a large recognisable S&P500 company probably helps. If they decide they need you there, then the consulate officer is likely to agree. Make sure you ask lots of questions of the lawyers, they're being paid to help you.

A blanket petition means that a certian number of employees are transfered, so it's up to your individual case only and the uncertainly about the company part is removed.
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Old Jun 11th 2020, 5:41 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Originally Posted by Hbc123
Hi all,

I posted a few weeks ago (thanks to those who answered!) and am now slightly further down the road with my application. I’m getting ready to submit my DS-160 and book an embassy interview. A couple of questions:

1. I can book an interview in London or Belfast - is there any reason for choosing one over the other? Not in terms of logistics for travel etc, but in terms of how easy the process is at each (I’m assuming they’re supposed to be identical, but wonder whether one is better in reality)

2. Does anyone have any idea of how frequently L1 visas are approved? My (large) company have blanket approval, I work in a niche role, have 2 relevant degrees, and they’ve failed to otherwise fill the role in the US, so I assume my chances are reasonable?


Appreciate everything I’ve said above is somewhat contingent on the COVID situation, but any initial thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Congrats on the opportunity. In truth years ago, these used to almost be pre approved then you turned up at Grosvenor square unless there was a major red flag. The company I worked for had a blanket petition. I had two interviews there and they lasted literally seconds. CO used to ask who do you work for? What will you be doing for them? Tick, stamp passport back in 3-5 days.

It's rather changed now and I am not sure London is getting a good reputation with large companies. I am still in touch with many of those colleagues and I have heard of multiple set backs in London for various firms, so much so some companies were avoiding it. They have had L1-As denied because the salary was too low, L1-Bs scrutinized heavily and such. Also apparently anyone with a previous minor arrest can expect administration processing for further checks even after providing the details and ACRO (that seems to be backed up by various threads on here).

I am sure many go through fine but I do know they are much stricter these days, not sure if just a London thing, maybe it's a myth and it's everywhere in the current climate.

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Old Jun 11th 2020, 6:45 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Originally Posted by NewStarter
Congrats on the opportunity. In truth years ago, these used to almost be pre approved then you turned up at Grosvenor square unless there was a major red flag. The company I worked for had a blanket petition. I had two interviews there and they lasted literally seconds. CO used to ask who do you work for? What will you be doing for them? Tick, stamp passport back in 3-5 days.

It's rather changed now and I am not sure London is getting a good reputation with large companies. I am still in touch with many of those colleagues and I have heard of multiple set backs in London for various firms, so much so some companies were avoiding it. They have had L1-As denied because the salary was too low, L1-Bs scrutinized heavily and such. Also apparently anyone with a previous minor arrest can expect administration processing for further checks even after providing the details and ACRO (that seems to be backed up by various threads on here).

I am sure many go through fine but I do know they are much stricter these days, not sure if just a London thing, maybe it's a myth and it's everywhere in the current climate.
I think blankets are different. But I asked our lawyer about a non-blanket L1b in 2019... and he did not want to do it. I asked why, and he said he only likes to do submissions that are 90%+for approval. With the climate then when pushed he said it was probably closer to 50/50 chance of approval. Again that’s only 1 data point, but backs up the rumors it’s getting harder. For context this was for someone from India and we looked at it because they did not get picked in the H1b lottery.
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Old Jun 11th 2020, 6:55 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

My concern about an L1 today would be whether Trump "pauses" entry into the USA.

Good luck @Hbc123
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Old Jun 22nd 2020, 8:38 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Thanks so much all for the replies. I’m not feeling overly optimistic although better that and have a pleasant surprise I think! A couple of further questions.

Is there any evidence to indicate visas are more likely to be approved in Belfast? I’ve read this in a couple of places and could as easily go to Belfast as London for my appt, but not sure whether there’s any real reason to do so.

People talk about vast amounts of paperwork but the documents my attorney has sent don’t seem that lengthy and I’m worried something major is missing! There are forms about my employer, forms about me, a fairly lengthy (~8 page) petition letter and then degree certificates and copies of publications etc that I’ve authored. The whole thing only totals 41 pages (without my DS-160) - is that “normal”?

I read somewhere that there should be NO blanks in the forms - where there’s a blank, better to write ‘NA’. Does that apply to forms other than the DS-160? The forms at the start of my docs (about the attorney and my employer), the G-281 and I-129S both seem to have a fair few blanks and I’m not sure whether to ask the attorney to go back through and populate them?

Thanks so much in advance for anyone who has made it to the point!

H
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Old Jun 22nd 2020, 8:54 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

You should be aware that Trump is about to issue a new EO that will suspend the processing of L-1 visas for the rest of the year. Whether it will survive legal scrutiny is unclear but that is the plan.
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Old Jun 22nd 2020, 9:36 pm
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Originally Posted by Hbc123
Thanks so much all for the replies. I’m not feeling overly optimistic although better that and have a pleasant surprise I think! A couple of further questions.

Is there any evidence to indicate visas are more likely to be approved in Belfast? I’ve read this in a couple of places and could as easily go to Belfast as London for my appt, but not sure whether there’s any real reason to do so.

People talk about vast amounts of paperwork but the documents my attorney has sent don’t seem that lengthy and I’m worried something major is missing! There are forms about my employer, forms about me, a fairly lengthy (~8 page) petition letter and then degree certificates and copies of publications etc that I’ve authored. The whole thing only totals 41 pages (without my DS-160) - is that “normal”?

I read somewhere that there should be NO blanks in the forms - where there’s a blank, better to write ‘NA’. Does that apply to forms other than the DS-160? The forms at the start of my docs (about the attorney and my employer), the G-281 and I-129S both seem to have a fair few blanks and I’m not sure whether to ask the attorney to go back through and populate them?

Thanks so much in advance for anyone who has made it to the point!

H
I came under a non blanket L1a and the majority of the paperwork was on the firm not me, audited accounts, org charts etc. it would make sense that for a blanket that would all only be sent once and not included in your pack, somit would be logical that you would need less. But probably better for someone who came on a blanket to comment.
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Old Jun 23rd 2020, 1:44 am
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Default Re: L1-b blanket visa

Executive Order is published.
H-1b, L1or J1 paused until 2021.
explanation here https://www.fragomen.com/insights/al...inning-june-24
EO here https://www.whitehouse.gov/president...irus-outbreak/
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