Often, company projects require more than one person for successful completion, therefore most employers petition to transfer multiple employees through L1B bundle petitions. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will accept “bundled” petitions as long as they meet all the requirements set out in the instructions.
Eligibility for Bundling L1B Petitions
The following parameters must be met in order to bundle L1B petitions:
- Petitions must originate from the same employer,
- Petitions must demonstrate that the employees will be working on the same project,
- Petitions must demonstrate that the employees will be working at the same location,
- Petitions must demonstrate how each employee possess specialized skills necessary to complete the project, and
- Petitions must be filed using the same processing service
Understanding L1B Visas
An L1B visa is a visa issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is a branch of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The visa is issued to employers who petition for the visa. The purpose of the visa is to allow an American employer to transfer an employee from a foreign branch to a United States branch of the employer’s company. Before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will issue the visa, an employer must provide evidence that their employee possesses specialized knowledge related to their transfer of employment.
Qualifications to Petition for an L1B Visa
In order to petition the United States for an L1B Visa, an employer must have a legitimate connection with a foreign company where their employee works. Legitimate connections include foreign branch offices, foreign affiliate offices, and/or subsidiary companies affiliated with the American company. A petitioning employer must also prove that their company will be providing goods and/or services within the United States. Petitions that simply state that the foreign employee and affiliated company will do business within the United States will likely be rejected. To learn more about L1B visa requirements, read:
Tips for Filing L1B Petition
An L1A manager may include himself/herself in the L1B bundle if he/she will be the one managing the bundles of employees. Additionally, any dependents of an L1B applicant will need to file for an L2 visa.
I-539 Application
An I-539 is an application seeking to extend and/or change non-immigrant status. This form may also be included in the L1B bundle. An I-129, along with all requested documents, must be included for each applicant. Applicants must include a cover sheet containing their name, a description of the project they will be working on, and the location of the project. Applicants should include any other additional information that may be helpful to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Petitioners should make sure that the bundle is easily recognized and write “L-1 Bundle” on the top of their cover sheet.” Petitioners should also label each applicant within the bundle, such as “1 of 8,” and “2 of 8.”
Processing L1B Petitions
Although several petitions may be in a bundle together, each individual petition is viewed separately. Each applicant’s petition must meet the eligibility requirements set out by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Homeland Security. If the person reviewing the application is not able to determine whether a particular petitioner is eligible to work within the United States, then the other petitions contained within the bundle will be reviewed as if they were submitted independently.
Arrange For a Consultation Today!
If you, one of your co-workers or one of your employees is interested in applying for an L1B visa, contact Pride Immigration Law Firm PLLC as soon as possible. Our staff has a vast amount of experience working with various employers and employees on completing their L1B visas.
We offer consultations in person or over the phone. It is our goal to help all of our clients make an informed decision before submitting their applications. If you are interested in scheduling a consultation, please contact our office and provide us with an overview of your project.
Beeraj Patel, Esq.
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