What is an L-1 Visa?
Why is an L1 Visa?
The L-1 visa allows for the transfer of certain employees to the US office
of your business. It can be an existing US office or we can set a new US
office up for you.
Click here to find out more about the L-1 Visa.
Executive Summary: L-1 Visa in Chennai and L1 Blanket Visas in India
This page briefly outlines the L-1 visa application process at the US consulate in Chennai, India. However, generally, you can apply for the L-1 visa from any country. Our team is happy to consult with you and you may click here to contact us to arrange a free consultation to discuss your business’ needs, personal circumstances and plans.
L-1 Application Steps in Chennai
In order to obtain an L-1 visa an applicant must complete the following
steps detailed on this page.
Please note that all Blanket L1 visa petitions filed in India are
adjudicated in Chennai.
| Steps |
Notes/Remarks |
|
1.
Obtain an approval of the L-1 petition (filed with the USCIS
(United States Citizenship & Immigration Services)
|
This page addresses the post-L1 petition process of applying for
the L1 Visa.
For guidance on processing an L1 visa petition for an Indian
business please follow this link.
|
|
2.
Complete the Online Non-Immigrant Visa Application, Form
D-160.
|
Follow this link to complete Form D- 160:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-ds160complete.asp
For any inquiries on completing the DS-160, you may visit this
website:
DS-160 Faqs.
|
| 3. Pay the visa application fee of $205. |
Although fees are listed in U.S. dollars, payment must be made
using local currency.
Follow this link to check the visa fee for L visa
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-visafeeinfo.asp
Learn about bank and payment options through this link:
http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-paymentinfo.asp
|
|
4.
Schedule your personal interview with the U.S. Consulate
General in Chennai, India.
|
You may schedule your personal interview at any U.S. Embassy or
Consulate, but note that it may be difficult to qualify for a
visa outside of your place of permanent residence. In general,
you must schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the
U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live.
You will need to provide the receipt number that is printed on
your approved L-1 petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form
I-129, or Notice of Action, Form I-797, to schedule an
interview.
You may make an appointment through the call center:
Callers in India: Call +91 120 4844644 or +91 40 46258222.
Callers in the United States: Call +1 703 520 2239.
You may also schedule your appointment online through this
link:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html/appointment
The approximate wait time is for a Dropbox appointment (visa
interview waiver) is a few weeks to a few months and the wait
time for interview appointments is anywhere between 7 months to
1 year at this time (Dec 2022) (owing to backlog as a result of
Covid)
|
|
5.
Sit down with our team to prepare for your visa interview.
|
We, at Davies and Associates, are ideally positioned to assist
you in your preparation for the interview though our team in
India. We can answer all your questions about the interview
process, give you valuable tips and conduct mock interviews.
For over 15 years, we have worked with many Indian nationals and
gained a deep understanding of their needs and culture. We
tailor our services to meet our Indian clients’ specific needs
and endevor to produce the very best immigration solutions
possible.
While there can be no guarantees, none of the visa applications
we have prepared have ever been denied given our personalized
approach and close interaction with our clients and detail to
attention.
|
|
6. Attend your visa interview and bring all required
documentation.
|
Required documentation includes:
- Your passport (and your old passports)
- Your passport photo
-
The DS-160 barcode page (you will not need the full
application)
- The HDFC visa application fee receipts
PLUS
- I-797 - the original notice of approval
-
The complete I-129 (I-129S for Blanket Petition) and I-129L
petition (3 copies)
- Evidence of with the Indian enemployment tity
- Offer Letter from the US entity
The Embassy will not accept documents received directly from the
company by mail or fax.
|
|
7.
After your visa interview, if you are approved, you will be
informed how your passport with visa will be returned to you.
|
The approximate processing time visa issuance is
7 to 14 working days (as of November, 2022).
In some cases, the consular officer will inform you if further
administrative processing is necessary for your application.
|
*All Blanket L Visas are processed at the U.S. Consulate General in
Chennai.
The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai is the sole acceptance center in
India for all applications for intra-company transfers under the blanket
L category . The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and U.S. Consulates in
Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad no longer accept or process applications
for this visa category. The blanket L category includes specialized
knowledge professionals, executives and managers.
Please note that L-2 dependent visa (for spouse and children under 21
years) and individual L visas (L1B and L1A individuals) may be
processed at all posts in India Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai,
and New Delhi.
Address/Location:
U.S. Consulate General, Chennai
Gemini Circle
Chennai 600
006
Phone: 044-2857-4000
Fax: 044-2811-2020
U.S. Consulate General Chennai - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in India
(usembassy.gov)
Email address:
Nonimmigrant visas
[email protected]
Call Center:
Callers in India: Call +91 120 4844644 or +91 40 46258222.
Callers
in the United States: Call +1 703 520 2239.
Skype: To use Skype to speak to a customer service representative
Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., India Standard Time (IST),
and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., IST, please add a new contact to
your Skype account with the Skype name ustraveldocsindia
About the Authors
Mark I Davies, Esq.
Chairman of Davies & Associates; focused on E visa strategy and complex consular filings.
Mark I Davies, Esq. JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Licensed with the SRA (SRA ID: 384468) in the UK, Member Law Society of England & Wales, MBA, Wharton School of Business. Top 10 Investment Visa Lawyer, Licensed (USA), Georgia State Bar. AILA Member.
| Area |
Details |
|
Education
|
JD, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School | MBA (Finance), The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) |
|
Financial Training
|
Completed Analyst Training Program at a major international bank | Chartered Accountant background with professional training in financial analysis and reporting |
|
Legal Practice
|
Admitted to practice in Georgia (USA) | Registered Solicitor with the Law Society of England & Wales | Former CMBS lawyer at one of the world’s largest international law firms |
|
Immigration Track Record
|
15+ years advising HNW investors |
Zero denials for clients advised on source-of-funds compliance in EB-5 | Hundreds of successful EB-5 cases globally
|
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Recognition
|
Named a
Top 25 EB-5 Immigration Attorney by EB5 Investors Magazine (2018–2023)
|
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Professional Engagements
|
Lecturer/trainer for other lawyers at AILA, ACA, University of Pennsylvania Law School | Frequent speaker at global investment immigration conferences |
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