L visa blanket petitions are used by large international companies who want to transfer multiple employees to the United States via an L-1 visa. In these situations, there is a simpler way to apply for the L-1 visa for these employees rather than file an individual application for each prospective employee. This is known as the L-1 visa blanket petition, and allows USCIS to establish in advance the qualifying relationship needed for the L-1 visa. However, approval of the blanket L visa petition does not guarantee that any employee will automatically obtain L-1 status.

L1 Visa Blanket Petition Process

Once a blanket petition has been approved, an employer only needs to submit I-129S, which is a nonimmigrant petition based on blanket L petition. The form should be sent to the prospective employee, along with a copy of the blanket petition approval notice and any required evidence to be presented at a U.S. consulate.

Proving Eligibility for L Visa Blanket Petition

A company attempting to be approved for the blanket petition must show the following:

• The organization must be engaged in a commercial trade or service
• The company must have an office in the U.S. that has been operating for at least one year
• The company must have at least three domestic and/or foreign branches, affiliates or subsidiaries
• One of the following:
  • A workforce in the U.S. of at least one thousand employees
  • Combined annual sales of at least twenty-five million dollars
  • A minimum of 10 L-1 approvals in the one year period prior to applying for the blanket petition

What next?

The validity period of the L visa blanket petition is three years, but can be renewed for up to seven years. If the petitioner does not renew or if a renewal request is denied, the petitioner is barred from filing a new blanket petition for a period of three years. If an individual applies and is granted L-1 status under blanket petition, they may be admitted for a period of three years, even if the blanket petition is set to expire before then. Individuals in L-1A or L-1B status who applied under a blanket petition are subject to the same limits as nonblanket petition approvals, seven years for L-1A visa holders and five years for L-1B visa holders.

Contact Pratt, Mong & Lee Houston Immigration Attorneys if your company needs assistance with filing an L visa blanket petition.