Recent data obtained from CIS indicates a substantial increase in the number of Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and Denials issued with respect to nonimmigrant employment-based petitions (L, H, O, P for example). This is despite the fact that the law and relevant regulations remain unchanged. For example, RFE rates for L-1B “specialized knowledge” petitions rose from 2% in fiscal year 2004 to a staggering 63% in 2011. RFE rates for L-1A “managerial or executive” petitions rose from 4% in fiscal year 2004 to 24% in 2007, up to 51% in 2011. RFEs can result in added weeks or months of processing times, project delays, and increased costs. Read more about this trend here. On Thursday, Rosanna Berardi appeared at the Peace Bridge with several clients. One was an L-1 visa holder who had opened a new office in the U.S. last year. He was applying to extend his status for an additional 3-year period. Our team spent an extensive amount of time preparing his L-1A petition, which included comprehensive documentation of U.S. and Canadian sales, financial statements for both entities, future financial projections for the U.S. office, customer purchase orders and invoices for the past year, and photographs of both the Canadian and U.S. sites. CBP was extremely impressed with the depth of the documentation and quickly approved the L-1 visa for 3 years. If you have an intra-company transferee or are interested in expanding your current operations to the U.S., Berardi Immigration Law can facilitate the transfer of your business personnel. For an overview of the L-1 petition requirements, click HERE. We welcome your inquiries and are ready to address your U.S. immigration needs. Please contact our office at 1-877-721-6100 (toll free) or email us. Page Summary: While the current CIS climate for processing L-1 visas is problematic, Berardi Immigration Law can assist.
