UNITED STATES - New Policy for L-1 Readmissions at Canadian Border
Effective immediately, and without an official announcement, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are refusing to process petitions presented by Canadian nationals, for readmission in L-1 status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Instead, these applicants must submit a request for extension of stay by filing an I-129 petition with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which takes longer to process
The policy affects both individual and blanket L-1 applicants, and their dependents, presenting renewal petitions at ports of entry along the Canada/United States border and preclearance locations.
Canadian nationals presenting initial or intermittent/commuter petitions are exempt from this new policy.
Action Items
- Employers who may be affected are advised to contact their Newland Chase immigration specialist for case-specific information.