Employers May Bundle L-1 Filings, USCIS Announces

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently said it recognizes that businesses may need to temporarily move multiple employees to the United States for particular projects that require the employees’ specialized knowledge. To do this, USCIS said that employers may petition for their employees to obtain L-1 nonimmigrant classification by filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. While each L-1 petition must be considered on its own merits, USCIS will consider multiple applications grouped into “bundles” of L-1 petitions as part of an effort to streamline and improve the adjudication process.

For USCIS to consider the bundle, all included L-1B petitions must be related to employees on the same project, who will work at the same location, and who have the same specialized knowledge duties.

USCIS will also consider petitions for L-1A managers included with the bundle, if they will be managing the L-1B beneficiaries who will be working on the project. In addition, USCIS will consider Forms I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, filed for a beneficiary’s qualifying dependents included in the bundle.

The agency also offered filing tips for bundling L-1 petitions.