Form I-129 Pilot Program for Canadian L Nonimmigrants
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) invited you to participate in a teleconference on Oct. 12, from 1– 2 p.m. (Pacific). We discussed the joint agency pilot program for Canadian citizens seeking L nonimmigrant status through Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker.
This pilot program is designed to evaluate whether USCIS could support CBP through remote adjudications and to develop estimates for petition processing times.
Ultimately, the goal is to increase consistency in adjudication of L-1 petitions, and facilitate the adjudication and admission process of Canadians traveling to the United States as L-1 nonimmigrants.
This pilot program allows Canadian citizens to request USCIS to remotely adjudicate their petitioning employer’s Form I-129 or I-129S prior to their arrival or when they arrive at the Blaine Point of Entry (POE). To participate in this pilot program, petitioners must file their Form I-129 or I-129S and supporting evidence with the California Service Center. USCIS receives fees, issues a Form I-797C receipt notice, and adjudicates the Form I-129 or I-129S.
The Canadian citizen does not need to wait for USCIS to adjudicate the Form I-129 or I-129S before going to the Blaine POE to apply for admission into the United States. At the Blaine POE, the Canadian citizen may request that USCIS remotely adjudicate their employer’s Form I-129 or I-129S. This option is only available at the Blaine POE during the pilot program.
During the engagement, we provided an update on goals, data and processing times for the pilot. USCIS and CBP also answered non-case-specific questions about the L pilot for Canadian citizens and will gather feedback from stakeholders about this initiative.