Home/Work visas/L-1/USCIS Clarifies Policy on L-1 Petitions

USCIS Clarifies Policy on L-1 Petitions

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USCIS Alerts
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Informational only, not legal advice. Confirm deadlines on the official notice or with a qualified professional.

USCIS clarified that sole proprietorships cannot file L-1 intracompany transfer petitions on behalf of their owners because a sole proprietorship is not a separate legal entity distinct from the owner. This policy guidance prevents owners from using sole proprietorship structures to petition for themselves. Business owners seeking L-1 status should ensure their entity is properly structured as a separate legal entity such as an LLC or corporation.
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual clarifying that a sole proprietorship may not file a petition on behalf of its owner because the sole proprietorship does not exist as a distinct legal entity separate and apart from the owner.

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L-1

Intracompany transfer visa updates: blanket petitions, I-129L, consular processing.

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