DOL Issues Clarification on L Visa Fees and Reciprocity Fees
- State department's cable clarifies how reciprocity fees are affected when consular officers collect anti-fraud fees and border security fees.
- Please check attached file.
Over the last few years, approvals of L-1B cases have become particularly difficult. An L-1B (Intra-Company Transfer Visa) petitioner retained us after receiving a Request for Evidence from USCIS requiring additional proof that the beneficiary had specialized knowledge and that the job duties required an individual with unique knowledge of the petitioner’s complex technology. We provided documentation to show that the beneficiary had skills that could not be obtained in the open market. We were also able to show that, within the petitioner’s employee pool, the beneficiary was unique and
I have 14 years of overall IT experience and performing Manager, Service delivery role for past 3 years. Planning to enter USA in L-1A visa. I have a team of 30 resources, working in Chennai, Shanghai and San Jose. They all report to me. <br>
My Questions:<br>
1. How long I need to wait to initiate the GC process?<br>
2. Do I have a choice of selecting the type - EB-1 vs EB-2?<br>
3. I don't have bachelors or masters degree. Will that be a barrier for applying GC?<br>
4. Should I apply ONLY through my employer or can I apply myself
1. You can apply for green card without any wait.
2.
It's very nice to be back to the client's feedback section within a year. Do I need to mention that Rajiv & his team are the best in the business and we can not find a more considerate person than Savita at his office. I have no words to write my feelings of happiness working with Rajiv and professional team
I am currently working as a Senior Software developer at a small company (13 employees). It is privately held and I don't have any stake in it. I am on an H-1B visa and my I-140 is approved under the EB-3 category. I see an opportunity to start a team in India for my current company. I can manage the team from India, staying there for a year. After that, I can come back to the US and still manage the Indian team while working in the USA. I will probably have to play a dual role where I am a senior developer and should manage the Indian team. Will I be eligible for EB-1 manager/executive level after 3 years? If not, is there an easy way I can leverage the advantage of working in a small shop to get a green card faster.
You should be able to include the team in India amongst the professionals you manage if the benefit of the work flows to the corporate collective. You don't have to be outside the USA for three years. The required time period is one year. This could work, but you must have a detailed consultation with your lawyers. They should make sure your proposed jobs in India and then in the USA meet the legal requirements for an L-1A/EB-1C.
Note: Where transcribed from audio/video, this is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
For latest updates, watch this video with Rajiv from Dec 28, 2021.
We successfully assisted the client company, an online retail business, in filing an L-1A “new office” petition to enable the beneficiary to join the U.S. subsidiary temporarily as Chief Executive Officer to lead the development and formulation of the U.S. Entity’s short and long-term strategy. While in the U.S.
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the documentation that certain E and L nonimmigrant spouses may use as evidence of employment authorization based on their nonimmigrant status.
Background: I am currently on L-2 VISA and is going to expire in May. My company is going to file my Canada visa in a month. My spouse's (currently on L1A) employer is going to file her GC soon and she wants to stay with our kids until a decision is made (stay as a visitor or on the basis of GC filing). We decided that I will go to Canada and if the GC processing won't happen or the outcome is negative, she will join me in Canada at a later time.
Now:
I want to apply for the change of status from L-2 visa to visitor visa while I am still in the US, and leave for India while my Canadian visa is in process and travel to Canada directly from India. (I am going to see my parents as it's been years and can't travel to India if I join my company back in Canada anytime soon).
Questions:
1) Is it okay to leave the US while my change of status from L-2 to Visitor visa is in the process?
2) If yes, will USCIS continue to process and intimate me once they approve?
In this case it should be fine, but remember to go through the Section 222 (g;) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Another thing you need to remember is in order for you to get a B-2 visa stamp or a B-1 visa stamp at the consulate you do not need any kind of approval from the USCIS.
Note: Where transcribed from audio/video, this is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
I had L-1B individual visa which was rejected during the extension process about 2 years back and my company filed fresh L-1A individual petition after I came back to India which is approved now. Does my case for L-1A individual visa qualifies for visa waiver? Note that : I also had H1-B denial after it was picked in lottery in RFE process before L-1B was approved.
It appears that you may not qualify for an interview waiver because you had an H one B denial that was never overcome.
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Note: Unless the context shows otherwise, all answers here were provided by Rajiv and were compiled and reported by our editorial team from comments, blog and community calls on immigration.com. Where transcribed from audio/video, a verbatim transcript is provided. Therefore, it may not conform to the written grammatical or syntactical form.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, April 28, 2022:
I'm currently on H1B Visa with I-140 Approved. My Employer is sending to Canadian branch to work for 2 years. I have 1 person reporting the work to me (Offshore India). I'm not designated as a Manager. Upon return to US branch after 2 years completion in Canada. Does my application qualify for EB-1C category?
Video Transcript:
Maybe, maybe not. it depends.Looks like you will not qualify, but you never know.
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
I am currently on H-1B , which expires on 20 Jan 2018 , Instead of filing H-1B extension my employer filed for my COS on L-1A , As i meet all the eligibility criteria. I also have my EB-1C I-140 approved , but we cannot file 485 as the dates are not current. My L-1A COS is rejected (Denied) . Will this impact my already approved I-140 ?
Video Transcription
If your L-1A is denied and not just the change of status, then we have to look at the reason for denial. Typically L-1A is denied if the government feels that you don't rise to the level of an executive or managerial employee for whatever reason, whether it is on the foreign country side or the US side. If you don't rise to that level government can deny your L-1A and if they are denying the L-1A on that basis and your EB-1C I-140 was approved also with the same or similar job description, then obviously there is a potential impact because the criteria used for determining your eligibility for L-1A and EB-1C are the same as far as qualifying as a manager is concerned.
So indirectly because you are using the same job description you could have a problem with the L-1A denial. Yet now, if it is a change of status which can happen because you file your application two days late then the green card I-140 remains unaffected but then you have to worry about the unlawful presence problem. If you have been unlawfully present for 180 days you cannot come back for 3 years, except with a 212(d)(3) waiver and that's always a possibility in cases like these.
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
I came here on L1A. At the time of petition, my offer letter from my employer had a salary of $120K annually. This is $10,000 monthly. I want to know if running my payroll for less money will affect my GC process which I am planning to apply next year. Considering following situations, Will it affect my GC process which I am planning to apply after 1 year from my arrival date? 1) If my payroll is run for lesser salary e.g. in the range of $6000 to $8000? 2) If my payroll is run with (salary + bonus) to make it a total of $10,000/month (120K annually). For example salary = $6000/month and bonus = $4000/month
Video Transcript
Ideally, you should be paid what is indicated on the L-1 paperwork, but there's certainly no law that I can point to that mandates that result. It is just a general sense of uneasiness because it could go into eligibility. Also, if your payroll is run with salary plus bonus I think then you should be ok although I haven't researched this issue. Have your lawyers look into it.
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
What is the chance for a L-1A visa holder of 9 years experience (2 years in USA) to qualify for a EB-1 category. Catch here is the original company which provided the L-1A visa will not apply for GC. Can I apply for GC myself in EB-1 category?
You or any company not a part of the L-1A employer cannot apply for green card based upon your international manager/executive status.
FAQs: Traveled on Advance Parole - Maintaining H-1B status without going for stamping and filing multiple I-485 or Interfiling || Green card application for parents during tourist visa || How are PERM minimum job requirements determined? || Extending or Renewing F-1 student visa risks and requirements || Various Interfiling Issues ||
FAQ: Explaining PERM Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) and its elements || Recapturing H-1B unused time (Remainder Option); Changing H-1B field; USCIS’s stand on combining degree and work experience || H-4 EAD visa holders opening an LLC in the U.S. and employing their H-1B holding spouse on concurrent H-1B || Gap in status, for instance, H-1B and H-4 status issues || Eligibility for EB-1A (Extraordinary Ability)
FAQ: Entering the U.S. on a visitor visa while green card is pending |Qualifying for Visa Waiver Program (VWP) | Spouse visa through H-1, L-1, or O-1 | Any special visas for UK, EU, Singapore, Dubai or Australia || Qualifying for EB-1C green card by working abroad for a year | Expected processing times for EB-1C for an L-1A visa holder from India || Consequences of employer withdrawing I-485 Supplement J || Layoff while on an H-1B visa - what if I cannot find a job in 60 days?
If someone is on L-1 and got laid off, what are the alternatives?
Pretty much the same as H-1. 60 days grace period and if you still cannot find a job, leave the country or convert to student status if you want to go to school or B-1/B-2 if you want to just wait it out and look for jobs.
Given the current situation with tech layoffs, I wanted to understand the options available for people in my situation.
I’m currently working in the US on H-1B and my GC application (I-485) with PD July 2014 and 485 is in “Case remains pending”.
I have 485 EAD approved till 2024 and Advanced Parole is still pending.
Now if someone switches to EAD and their date becomes current before they can find a job. What are their options?
Also, do we have any info on what the status “Case Remains Pending” means?
1. Switching to EAD is very easy. There is no formal process for it. All you have to do is when you want to convert from H-1B or if you have been laid off present your EAD as documentation of your authorization to work.
2. Travel back into the United States with an H-1B visa and that of course comes after you get an approval from the USCIS.
3. In a case like this you should get your approval. Make sure you get the next job in the same or similar field. Keep some documentation that shows they are in the same or similar field.
Discussion Topics:
FAQs: Removing spouse from green card processing || Multiple green card petitions simultaneously and exploring concurrent filing of EB-2 NIW || What are the consequences of H-1B or green card fraud or misinterpretation? How does it affect my departure, assets and financial matters? || Transitioning from H-1B to I-485 GC EAD: maintaining status and re-employment considerations
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QSSI is an IT Consulting Company located in Gaithersburg, MD with a staff strength of 120+ . We have been working with Rajiv Khanna's office for close to four years. They are the best. Rajiv's staff is very knowledgeable, dedicated, prompt and professional. Rajiv is always willing to talk anyone who needs legal counsel for immigration. We are very impressed with their service, though it is tough to single out an individual, as we find all of them to be real professionals but would still want to single out the few: Rena, Anna, Mathew, Amrita, Suman, Hellen and of course Rajiv.