U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced modifications to the issuance of receipts for L-1 nonimmigrant intracompany transferees. The L-1 visa is available for executives, managers, or specialized knowledge professionals under a previously approved blanket L petition.
When filing Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition, along with Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, petitioners will now receive two notices: a receipt notice and an approval notice (if the petition is approved). With this change, petitioners will no longer receive a stamped and signed Form I-129S along with the Form I-129 approval. Instead, a separate approval notice for Form I-129S will be provided to the petitioner, which will serve as the endorsement.
This approval notice will serve as evidence that a USCIS officer determined the beneficiary’s eligibility for L-1 status based on an approved blanket L petition. It will also constitute an endorsement of Form I-129S as required by 8 CFR 214.2(l)(5)(ii)(E). The beneficiary will also receive a copy of this notice to include with their visa and/or admission papers.
This change is aimed at providing petitioners with quicker, more organized, and more secure processing of Form I-129S by eliminating the need for USCIS to print, stamp, sign, and annotate the paper form.
If you have questions about the L-1 visa or any other immigration-related issue, contact us at ILBSG. We work with our clients in their individual situations to ensure they get the right advice.
