In the current world economy, organisations require human capital mobility to sustain their competitive advantage. The L1 blanket Visa is a convenient way for American businesses to export competent personnel from their global offices to the United States.
At US Area Immigration Services, we have extensive experience in dealing with the complex legal issues of immigration to enable both companies and employees who qualify to move from one area to another under L1 how to go about the blanket visa program. For employers trying to manage workforce mobility or employees who intend to follow a career path, this article affords you the required knowledge.
What is an L1 Blanket Visa?
L1 Blanket Visa is among the temporary or non-immigrant W visa programs that increase the migration of staff of international companies to the USA. This visa enables only those companies operating in the United States and who meet certain qualifications to facilitate the movement of managers and employees with skills in their overseas branches to the United States.
Key Benefits Of L1 Blanket Visa
L-1 Blanket Visa is one of the categories of visas in the U.S. immigration system that provides prospects for working citizens, engaged in the activity of international companies. This type of visa makes it less complicated and less time-consuming to transfer people from the company to do temporary work in the United States. Below are the key benefits of the L-1 Blanket Visa:
1. Easier Visa Application Process for Multiple Employees
- Efficiency for Companies: On the same note, an L-1 Blanket Visa is convenient since an employer is free to apply for numerous employees under a single L-1 visa petition. ”Blanket” designation indicates that a client that is given this certification does not have to apply for certification, one by one for each worker. This simplifies the process, especially for Large multinational organizations that experience a transfer of employees frequently.
- Faster Processing: Experience of successfully petitioning the company with a broad petition means that petitioning an individual transfer for the employee will be easier. This can be much quicker than the conventional L-1 petition procedure to secure permission to work during the pendency of the one-year L-1 visa.
2. Flexibility in Employee Eligibility
- Variety of Roles: People working in a company that is a subsidiary or a branch of a foreign company can use an L-1 visa in three ways; as an executive, a manager or an individual with specialized knowledge. This flexibility enables a lot of companies to move a broad category of their employees to their U.S. offices without a need to meet certain criteria of the individual.
- Simplified Requirements for Employees: Usually, the L-1 Blanket Visa doesn’t entail a comprehensive individual examination of each candidate, as long as the overall firm complies with the conditions, and the applicant is concerned with one of the consistent roles. This is going to work to the benefit of the employees seeking to be transferred by placing little hindrances in their way.
3. Time-Saving and Streamlined Process
- Quick Approval: It is faster than employees to secure a visa under the L-1 Blanket Visa thus making it faster for employees to get into the U.S. compared to the L-1 visa processing method. If the blanket petition has been approved then, the remaining procedure of transferring employees is pretty simple and can be easily completed.
- No Need for Labor Certification: Another major advantage of the L-1 Blanket Visa is that it can be obtained without acquiring labor certification, which is typically required when applying for other forms of work visas such as H-1B. This saves time and simplifies a previously difficult and perplexing process.
4. Extended Duration of Stay
- Longer Initial Stay: Citizens under L-1 Blanket Visa can stay for a longer time depending on the kind of extreme needed to be filled from their home country. L-1A persons such as managers or executives can work in the US for 7 years while the L-1B workers working in a specialized knowledge position are allowed to work for 5 years. This longer duration enables employees to provide service to the company’s U.S. branch for a longer period.
- Possibility of Extensions: L-1 visa holders are allowed to renew their visa status so that they can remain in the U.S. for a longer time until the holder continues to work for the employer institution in the appropriate capacity. It also gives the employees the advantage of being able to stay longer without having to look for a new chance on a visa.
How to Apply for the L1 Blanket Visa
As seen in the category of application procedures, the L1 Blanket Visa is a bit cumbersome due to the various procedures that the applicants have to undertake depending on some factors that prevail in the employer-employee relationship. Here’s an overview of the process:
1. File a Blanket Petition
Employer’s initial process in the L1 Blanket Visa involves submitting a blanket petition for the approval of USCIS. This petition should also attest that the company fulfils all the requirements for one to qualify for L1 Blanket Visa. It must contain information concerning the operation of the company, the company’s relation with the US office and facts surrounding the transfer of the employees.
2. Employee Petition
After obtaining the blanket petition, the company can file individual petitions for specific employees or employees it wishes to transfer to the United States. The employee must then submit relevant documents to immigration that demonstrate his or her eligibility for the visa, including the job description for the foreign office and the new job the employee will be doing in the United States.
3. Attend a Visa Interview
The L1 Blanket Visa applicants who are employees will have to sit for a visa interview at a consulate or an embassy in their home countries. While in this interview, the applicants will be expected to produce some legal documents such as their work experience, academic and professional achievements, and the approval of the company’s L1 Blanket petition.
4. Receive the Visa
Upon approval of an application, an L1 visa holder is allowed to enter into the United States and commence working assignment. It takes several weeks to get approval for the application, therefore, one needs to consider this when preparing the documents.
Conclusion
The L1 Blanket Visa is a mighty asset for large MNCs that have to frequently transfer employees to the United States. For both a small number of managers or a big wave of highly skilled specialists, the L1 Blanket Visa turns into a perfect option. Welcome to US Area Immigration Services, We understand the challenges that come with immigration, especially for the employees or organizations. Allow us to assist you in the achievement of your business objectives and in acquiring your highly skilled employees in the U.S.
If you want more information, or if you are interested in obtaining the L1 Blanket Visa, please feel free to get in touch with the US Area Immigration Services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques1. Who is eligible for an L1A visa in India?
Ans – The employee should have worked overseas for a company for a minimum period of one continuous year within three years before his/her admission to the States. The employee must have been in a managerial or executive position to qualify.
Ques2. What is the processing time for the L1B blanket?
Ans – The standard time of processing for an L-1 visa is between 2 to 4 months depending on the circumstances of the visa applicant. This entails the processing of the I–129 petition, which may take between three and six months, as well as the consulate processing which will take anything between six months and more. Employers are free to choose when applying for a Blanket L, and this will allow processing to take only 1-3 weeks.
Ques3. How do I extend my L1B blanket?
Ans – To apply for an extension of stay for an L1A or L1B employee under a blanket petition, the employer needs to submit the new Form I-129S with a copy of the original Form I-129S. This may be done simultaneously with a request to validate the blanket petition as far as it is required.