United States citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) has announced an increase on the H1-B and L1 visas issuing fee prices. This adjustment is the result of the modification of Public Law 114-113 which establishes the criteria for each applicant and the amount to be paid according to their profile.

The H-1B visas are mandatory requirement for temporary workers. The visa is aimed for specialised professionals, cooperative research with the DOD, project development and haute couture models. Any applicant that meets any of the following criteria must pay an additional fee of $4,000:

• The employer has 25 or more employees in the US.
• More than 50 percent of employees have a nonimmigrant H-1B, L-1A or L-1B statuses.
• The H-1B petition was filed with postmarks dated December 18, 2015 or later (or if sent by courier, the courier must have picked up the H-1B package on December 18, 2015 or later).
• The H-1B petition is for:

– Getting initial status H-1B nonimmigrant for a foreigner worker.
– Getting authorisation for an H-1B applicant to change jobs.

The L-1 visa is for managers and executives of companies based abroad. It is a requirement to work in subsidiaries or branch offices in the United States. The applicant shall additionally pay $4,500 if they meet any of the following criteria:

• The employer has 50 or more employees in the US
• More than 50 percent of company employees in the US are nonimmigrant H-B, L-1A or L-1B beneficiaries (The L-2 employees are not included)
• The L-1 petition postmark was filed dated December 18, 2015 or later or if sent by courier, the courier must have picked up the H-1B package on December 18, 2015 or later).
• The L-1 petition is for:

– Get initial nonimmigrant status L-1 or L-1B for a foreigner.
– Obtain authorization for an employee L-1A or L-1B change employers.

For more information, visit the United States national security webpage.

This information is not in any way legal advice, serving only as an informative purpose. If you need professional services in the area of Global immigration and Mobility, please contact our firm.

*It should be noted that the rules of any of the countries listed and the procedures suggested might change at any time without notice.

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