This is a story about being ready when a great opportunity presents itself.
Clients met with us to discuss their interest in expanding their Nigeria-based company to the US.
They also wanted to bring their two children with them to the US.
Although they were successful, they did not want to invest $1 million into the EB-5 Investor green card process.
After learning more about their business and goals, we recommended the L-1A nonimmigrant visa for a New Office.
The L-1A visa allows a US employer to transfer an executive or manager from an affiliated foreign office to an office in the US.
Foreign employers may also send an employee to the US to establish a new office.
Here’s why we chose the L-1A visa for our clients.
Firstly, they own a profitable Nigerian-based company that has been in operations for 10 years.
The company has two branches and over 60 employees.
They supply products throughout Nigeria to hotels, schools, supermarkets, hospitals, and churches.
In May 2022, the owners formed a US-based affiliate company in Houston, Texas.
The L-1A would allow the new US company to transfer an executive from Nigeria to grow the US company.
Although the Nigeria company is owned by a husband-and-wife team, the L-1A process allows one of them to be an executive under this petition process.
Our firm prepared the company’s petition and filed it under Premium Processing.
On January 30, 2023, USCIS received the petition.
Ten days later, on February 9, 2023, USCIS approved the case!
Although USCIS typically issues a Request for Evidence when an L-1A petition under New Office is filed, they did not do so in this case!
The firm then prepared four visa applications and an expedited request to the US embassy in Lagos, Nigeria.
On February 27, 2023, we submitted the visa applications.
On March 6, 2023, the clients were interviewed at the embassy (expedited request approved!).
On March 7, 2023, the visas were approved!
From start until finish, the entire process took 5 weeks!!
P.S. Every case is different. Past successes do not guarantee similar future outcomes. Consult with a licensed immigration lawyer to discuss your unique situation.
