pejpm1

I'm supposed to be moving to NYC in April on an L1B visa...my firm is a large hedge fund with offices in NY and London....i kind of assumed that the L1B was fairly easy to get. They are using an immigration lawyer, and I've been with them for 4 years so i dont forsee any problems, but someone who works for another firm told me today that with the L1B they are really strict on who they let in and that it was equal to the H1B with how stringent they are. I dont have a degree or any particular specialist knowledge outside of the indepth knowledge I have of the company and it's processes.....and now I'm really worried!! I had to send off my resume today, and it looks really basic....has anyone ever heard of the L1B being refused???

Bob

It's specialist knowledge, and that could be down to how the company operates.

I can't say if you'll get it or not, I'm not a lawyer and I don't know your circumstances, but the crack down is generally people who own a small company that set up an outfit in the US that try to transfer themselves.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Don't look at "rates" -- on the initial I-129L, you either qualify or you don't. Same with H-1b.

chicagojlo

Obviously every situation is different but my husband qualified for an L1B and he doesn't even have a degree - of any kind. Never mind any qualifications for his job. He'd only done that for 18 months too.
If the lawyer is familiar with putting together the job descriptions etc then you shouldn't have a problem.

pejpm1

Yes, I dont have a degree either..thats one of the things I was worried about, but on the other hand I have 8 years solid experience and have been with my firm for 4 years so here's hoping I'll be ok. Luckily my company dont really worry about money so i think they would have gone to a good lawyer....i think it's just that I'm so excited about this that if anything were to go wrong I'd be devestated so I'm second guessing everything!!

Thanks for the replies...

Off2NYC

Long time lurker here but first time poster.

Let me give you a brief history of myself, I am a 27 year old male who has worked in investment banking in London since I was 18. I left school after doing my A-levels as I didn't want to go to University so am in a similar position to yourself.

I am moving to NYC at the start of April, I got my L1-B visa approved at the US embassy last week and now have the visa in my passport at home.

I was worried about numerous things in regards to the application but everything went fine. As long as your company have a good immigration lawyer (which I suspect they will) then you will be ok.

It was quite interesting to read the petition when I picked it up from the lawyers office in London to see what the lawyers in NYC had submitted to the USCIS. My resume wasn't even included in the petition so don't worry about that.

The only thing you have to worry about is what book to take to the US Embassy to pass the time, I had to wait for 4 1/2 hours only to be asked 3 questions in an interview that lasted all of 30 seconds.

I had many a sleepless night worrying about all sorts of things so I hope this puts your mind at rest.

pejpm1

Wow, we have very similar circumstances! I got a job at Deutsche Bank at 18 so didnt bother going to uni (didnt really want to) so the main thing i've worried about is lack of degree. Thanks for the advice!

You can private message me and we can exchange apartment hunting tips if you want!

Quick question...you got the visa last week...when did your firm start the process? Mine have only just applied, does an April move sound likely or will that be cutting it fine. I was under the impression that the visa should take a month to 6 weeks...does this sound right?

Off2NYC

Small world in regards to who you used to work for

I have been following your posts with interest for the past few months as you seemed to be in a very smiliar situation to myself. Thought its about time to start posting and especially offer some advice having succesfully got my L1-B.

I already have my US bank account and credit card sorted, My employer takes care of everything. In fact, I haven't really had to lift a finger which compared to some people who post, is a great weight off my shoulders.

Off2NYC

Apologies, I missed the answer to this question off.

They submitted to petition to the USCIS on 9th December, they paid for premium processing (not sure why although I think its standard practice for our firm) so got the approval back within 2 weeks.

The lawyers in NYC then sent the approval notice and copy of the petition to to their office in London. I went along there to be briefed on a few things and then had my interview the next morning at the US embassy on the 8th Jan.

Thus it was roughly 4 weeks from submitting the application in the USA to getting the visa approved at the US embassy in London.

I wish I could move sooner but I have a few personal things going on in February and March so the I fly on April 6th.

pejpm1

So are you on the full expat package then? I.e. did they ask you to move out there? My situation is a bit different...my gf is American, my company know this and they offered the transfer I'm not on the full expat package as technically I wont really be employed as an expat..I'm being employed as a local with no time frame. They can get a max of 5 years, and they are kind of banking on me getting married to her by the time my visa expires. We would have been together for 8 years by then so I suppose we should have a fair idea of what we want to do by then

My firm are going to take care of some things for me e.g. I'll have somewhere to live for the first month, and they'll pay for a couple of flights, but other than that I'm by myself!

pejpm1

Wow, this is weird, thats nearly the date we are working towards as well! 5th April flight though so one day before you. So hopefully I'll have my visa by then. My company arent short of cash so I suppose they'll pay for any premium processing that can be done, although I wonder if you get a blanket L1 where the processing times are even quicker? If you work for one of the major IB's they probably do have blanket L1 status....

chicagojlo

We paid for premium processing and it took 2 days but we did this in Amsterdam where we were living at the time.

soon_to_Move

Before we got the approval notice they asked my husband (who got his L1B) for further evidece of his specialised knowledge. They asked some specific questions which he addressed in a word document and a a few days later we got the approval. The way we saw it was that they are not experts in your employment field but you do need to justify to them in plain english why you should hold that job in the US rather than an American.

chicagojlo

Our lawyer had included all of this in our application so there were no delays.