This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh, Fredrikson Immigration Department Chair, is a member.
On October 20, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued policy guidance to clarify that a sole proprietorship may not file an L-1 petition on behalf of its owner because the sole proprietorship does not exist as a distinct legal entity separate and apart from the owner.
The USCIS guidance further clarifies that an L-1 petition where the owner and beneficiary are the same constitutes an impermissible self-petition. The update also clarifies guidance regarding blanket L petitions, noting that the failure to timely file an extension of the blanket petition does not trigger the three-year waiting period before another blanket petition may be filed.
