Timing of L1A/B

How long does it take to get an L1 visa? I think my company started it a couple of weeks ago, and I'm moving out of my apartment in 4 weeks. Is it possible to get a visa in 6 weeks or does it take months?

Thanks!

How long does it take to get an L1 visa? I think my company started it a couple of weeks ago, and I'm moving out of my apartment in 4 weeks. Is it possible to get a visa in 6 weeks or does it take months?

Thanks!

If it's a blanket L-1 you usually get those within a couple weeks or so. If it's an individual L-1 that could take anywhere from 2 to 4 months depending, unless your company also applied for premium processing.

thanks for the quick response! So how long would it take for premium processing? My company does not do a lot of transfers so I can't imagine them having a blanket L1.

Under premium processing USCIS is supposed to give you a response within 15 days.

-- Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:16 pm --

The USCIS posts their processing times online as well: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/ptimes.jsp

All I had to do for my L1B was show up at the POE (airport) and hand over the paperwork.

Have they changed it?

How long does it take to get an L1 visa? I think my company started it a couple of weeks ago, and I'm moving out of my apartment in 4 weeks. Is it possible to get a visa in 6 weeks or does it take months?

You don't need a visa if you're a Canadian citizen. You can enter immediately provided you have a completed I-129 and the necessary supporting documentation. They let you enter conditionally while the service centre processes the application.

From the CBP field manual:

(D) NAFTA L aliens. Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a Canadian citizen may file an I-129 for an L-1 classification in conjunction with his/her application for admission at certain land border ports-of-entry and preflight inspection stations. Because of this, officers must be completely familiar with the adjudication process of an I-129 petition for L-1 benefits. The following procedure may serve as a guideline:
(1) Determine applicant to be a Canadian citizen and otherwise eligible for admission;
(2) Be sure the I-129 is completed in duplicate and signed;
(3) Determine qualifying relationship between the U.S. and Canadian entities. Very often a great volume of material is not necessary;
(4) Verify that the applicant was employed abroad by the Canadian entity in a qualifying capacity for a period of 1 year during the prior 3 years immediately preceding the date of application for admission;
(5) The job offer by the U.S. entity must place the applicant in a qualifying managerial, executive or specialized knowledge capacity. Examine supporting documentation. Form M-332, Instructions for Filing I-129 Petition for Intracompany Transferee, is a good source of information concerning acceptable supporting documentation;
(6) Collect fee, place fee stamp, approval stamp, and officer signature in proper places on the I-129;
(7) Prepare I-94 multiple entry for 1 year if the alien is coming to a new office, (i.e. in business for less than 1 year) 3 years if other than new office;
(8) Make sure alien receives the I-94, a receipt for the fee paid, Form I-9 and M-279 for initial admission. Advise the alien that he or she will receive an I-797, Notice of Action, from the service center; and
(9) Attach arrival copy of I-94 to “record of proceedings,” (original I-129 with supporting documents) and forward to the Service Center that has jurisdiction over your port-of-entry.

I think the fee is $685.

Applying for a visa is a waste of time. Given the number of times this question gets asked on here I'm beginning to think immigration consultants tell companies they have to get visas for their transfer employees so they can charge them more.