Changes to the Company Transfer Blanket L-1 Visa Fee

Posted on November 19, 2010

L-1 visa applicants applying under a blanket petition may be subject to an additional fee of $2,250 USD.  If the petitioning employer has more than 50 employees in the United States and more than 50 percent of them are in H1-B or L status, the U.S. Embassy must collect the additional fee.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is currently revising their forms and processes to comply with the new change.  In the interim, it is the responsibility of the petitioner and beneficiary to provide a letter to the Consular Officer that clearly states whether the fee is required.  The letter will be scanned into the Consular Consolidated Database and will become a part of the applicant’s official record.  If a blanket L-1 visa applicant cannot provide written confirmation of whether his or her petition is subject to the fee, the interviewing officer is required to suspend the application until the applicant returns with a clarification.

The $2,250 USD fee will be charged to all blanket L-1 blanket applicants regardless of country-specific reciprocity and whether or not the visa is issued.  The Embassy or Consulate will collect the fee only on the initial application.  If the applicant loses his or her passport or has a limited reciprocity and applies for a new visa prior to the expiration of the I-129S, no fee would be required.  However, if the company issues a new I-129S (for example, to extend the applicant’s time after the initial three years) then a new fee would be required.  L-2 Derivatives are not subject to the fee.

This fee is paid in addition to the $500 USD Fraud Detection and Prevention Fee.