L1A blanket rejected

[ArpitaVerma22]

L1A blanket recently got rejected and was asked by the VO to file L1A individual. Reason : “221(G) form "Your Blanket L-1 application is not clearly approvable under section 8 CFR 214.2 (I) (ii) (B),(C) or (D) or INA 101(a),(15) (L)”
Can someone explain what could be the reason? Below is a transcript of conversation.
Q: What will be your role in the US?
me: FSO Manager.

Q: What are your roles and responsibilities?
me: As FSO Manager I will be leading team of professionals targeting projects in Financial services.
-I will be responsible for building project plans, allocating budget to project milestones and building a team.
-I will be responsible for allocating tasks
-I will be responsible for tracking project progress.
-I will be responsible for RFP vehicles that request proposals for clients and work to close deals.

Q: How many direct reportees?
me: 5
Q: How many indirect reportees?
me: 12
Q:will you be involved in company profit and loss?
me: Yes,
Q: how will you be reporting profit loss?
me: I will be using margin management tools to generate margins and based on that i will be reporting profit and loss.

Q: Who will you be reporting to?
me: I will be reporting to the Senior Manager above me.

Q: How many senior Managers are there in EY?
me: 23%

Q: Are you travelling to New Jersey ?
me: No , San Antonio.

Q: What will be your salary in the US?
me: 110000 USD per year.

Q: Will you be working as Functional Manager or Project Manager?
me : Project Manager.

[sskumar79]

Instead of "I will be responsible" you could have used "I manage". I can't say that's the main reason. I feel there are some catches like you are reporting to senior manager, not directors or VPs, that could have caused her to hesitate to strong decision though your words confirm that you meet L1A requirements. In the Individual case, they thoroughly verify your roles with evidences.

[aagarwal0919]

Hi Arpita,

This is my take based on my knowledge, research and help from skiplegal.ai . Please note, I am not a legal advisor.

A 221(g) refusal on your L1A blanket petition means the consular officer didn’t find it clearly approvable under US regulations. Your "Project Manager" role didn’t convincingly meet the managerial or executive criteria.

The officer may have questioned whether your responsibilities truly involve managing a function, department, or significant business area—rather than just project management. They might have also found issues with team size, decision-making authority, or lack of clear involvement in high-level strategy.

One option is to apply for an L-1A individual petition, which allows for a more detailed case presentation. Strengthening your application with organizational charts, detailed job descriptions, and evidence of strategic authority can help.

Other interpretations-
The officer may have seen your role as day-to-day supervision rather than high-level management. Tasks like allocating work and tracking progress suggest hands-on involvement. L-1A applicants with P&L responsibilities must show they drive business decisions, not just report metrics.