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Could someone please outline the steps, start to finish, of getting an L-1A visa for a Canadian? I've been Googling for a while now, but I can't find a place that outlines the entire procedure (including what happens at the airport/POE).
For the sake of the example -- and my personal situation -- let's say I'm a manager of a company and I'm going to the US to establish our first US branch. Please correct me if I'm wrong (and please fill in the blanks), but it's my understanding that:
1. The employer submits Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) and supporting documents to USCIS. This costs $825 for a new application ($500 fraud fee + $325 filing fee) and could take 2 - 5 months to process, unless the employer opts for premium processing, which guarantees it within 15 days.
2. Once the I-129 is approved, I am issued an I-797 notice? Or Form DS-160?
3. I take my passport and my I-797 (or DS-160) to the airport, where I also fill out an I-94, and present all these documents at the POE.
4. I tell the customs agent that I'm applying for L-1A and they lead me away to a different room. At this point they go over my documents, ask some questions, and eventually give me my L-1A visa (which is a stamp in my Passport? Or on my other forms? Or a separate sheet/card?).
5. I fly to the States and start work. There's nothing else I need to do until the L-1A is about to expire (which will be in one year since I'm establishing a new company branch). At that point I must apply for an extension.
The biggest thing I'm confused about is that some sites say Canadians can apply for L-1 directly at the border. Does that mean my company still has to do the I-129 process before I show up at the POE, or is that taken care of at the same time?
I also have other questions pertaining to the procedure of applying for a Green Card when I've got my L-1A, but maybe I'll save those for later
For the sake of the example -- and my personal situation -- let's say I'm a manager of a company and I'm going to the US to establish our first US branch. Please correct me if I'm wrong (and please fill in the blanks), but it's my understanding that:
1. The employer submits Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) and supporting documents to USCIS. This costs $825 for a new application ($500 fraud fee + $325 filing fee) and could take 2 - 5 months to process, unless the employer opts for premium processing, which guarantees it within 15 days.
2. Once the I-129 is approved, I am issued an I-797 notice? Or Form DS-160?
3. I take my passport and my I-797 (or DS-160) to the airport, where I also fill out an I-94, and present all these documents at the POE.
4. I tell the customs agent that I'm applying for L-1A and they lead me away to a different room. At this point they go over my documents, ask some questions, and eventually give me my L-1A visa (which is a stamp in my Passport? Or on my other forms? Or a separate sheet/card?).
5. I fly to the States and start work. There's nothing else I need to do until the L-1A is about to expire (which will be in one year since I'm establishing a new company branch). At that point I must apply for an extension.
The biggest thing I'm confused about is that some sites say Canadians can apply for L-1 directly at the border. Does that mean my company still has to do the I-129 process before I show up at the POE, or is that taken care of at the same time?
I also have other questions pertaining to the procedure of applying for a Green Card when I've got my L-1A, but maybe I'll save those for later
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