Group petition
L-1 blanket petition: requirements and process
An L-1 blanket petition is the filing the company makes once, for the group. After it is approved, each executive, manager, or professional continues on Form I-129S instead of a new individual petition at USCIS. Approval of the group does not grant any one person's classification. The employee still has to qualify. Pinho Law prepares blanket filings from Orlando.
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Who can file an L-1 blanket petition
USCIS publishes four conditions. The first three are mandatory. The fourth is a choice among three thresholds.
- 1The petitioner and each included entity are engaged in commercial trade or services.
- 2There is a U.S. office that has been doing business for one year or more.
- 3There are three or more branches, subsidiaries, or affiliates, counting U.S. and foreign entities together.
- 4The group meets one of the three thresholds below.
Thresholds USCIS publishes
| One is enough | What USCIS asks for |
|---|---|
| L-1 history | At least 10 L-1 approvals during the previous 12 months |
| Sales | U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates with combined annual sales of at least $25 million |
| U.S. workforce | At least 1,000 employees in the United States |
Source: public USCIS L-1A and L-1B pages, and Policy Manual Volume 2, Part L, Chapters 2 and 8. The filing also shows that each entity is doing business, and who owns and controls whom.
What the blanket does not do
- It does not approve the person. USCIS states that approval of a blanket petition does not grant L-1 classification to each employee.
- Under a blanket, an L-1B employee with specialized knowledge must also be a professional. An individual L-1B petition does not add that step.
- A U.S. office that has not yet been doing business for a year cannot support a blanket. That transfer is an individual new-office L-1.
- An executive or manager is still read by the work, not by the title.
How an employee uses the blanket
Once the blanket is approved, the employer completes Form I-129S and gives it to the employee with a copy of the approval notice and evidence of the role and the year abroad. Someone who needs a visa presents that to a consular officer. Canadians, who are exempt from the L-1 visa, may present the I-129S to a CBP officer at certain land border ports or at a pre-clearance station in Canada. A visa-exempt employee may also file the I-129S with the service center that approved the blanket. The person's first period under the blanket may be up to three years.
How long the group petition lasts
The first blanket approval is valid for three years, under the Form I-129 instructions for L classification and 8 CFR 214.2(l). An extension may be approved indefinitely if the group still qualifies. If the company lets the first period expire without filing the extension, or if the extension is denied, the group waits three years before a new blanket. Individual petitions cover transfers during that gap.
Extra government fee for some large employers
As of September 9, 2026, an employer covered by the 9-11 biometric fee rule pays that government fee on H-1B and L-1 petitions. Covered means 50 or more employees in the United States, more than half of them in H-1B or L-1 status. The amount is on the USCIS G-1055 fee schedule and changes. Pinho Law's fee is set in the consultation, not on this page.
Blanket, individual L-1, and EB-1C
A company moving one person, or still opening the U.S. office, starts on the L-1 visa page. An executive or manager who later looks at permanent residence looks at EB-1C, which does not require PERM and requires a U.S. company that has been doing business for at least one year. On the November 2026 Visa Bulletin, EB-1 is current for people born in Brazil. The bulletin changes every month.
Notice
Case results depend on specific facts and do not guarantee future outcomes. This is not legal advice. Dra. Izi Pinho takes the consultation in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, at the Orlando office (6965 Piazza Grande Ave, Suite 401) or by video.
L-1 blanket petition questions
What is an L-1 blanket petition?
It is advance approval of the corporate group. The company files once. Each qualifying person then continues on Form I-129S, at a consulate, at the border for Canadians, or at USCIS, depending on the case.
What numbers does USCIS publish for a blanket?
On top of a U.S. office doing business for one year and three or more entities, one of these is enough: 10 L-1 approvals in the prior 12 months, combined annual sales of at least $25 million at the U.S. subsidiaries or affiliates, or 1,000 U.S. employees.
Does the blanket replace each person's visa?
No. USCIS says approval of the blanket does not grant the employee's L-1 classification. The role, the continuous year abroad, and the link between the companies are still examined.
Does blanket L-1B require a professional?
Yes. Specialized knowledge under a blanket also requires the person to be a professional. An individual L-1B petition does not add that requirement. The definition sits in 8 CFR 214.2(l).
Can a new U.S. company get an L-1 blanket?
Not until the U.S. office has been doing business for a year. Until then the path is an individual new-office L-1, with a first period of up to one year.
How long is a blanket approval valid?
The first approval is valid for three years. An extension may be indefinite if the group still qualifies. Missing the extension means waiting three years to file a new blanket.
Where does the employee apply once the blanket is approved?
At a U.S. consulate, with the I-129S and a copy of the approval. A Canadian who does not need a visa may present the packet to CBP at designated ports. A visa-exempt employee may also file the I-129S at the service center that approved the blanket.
Does an L-1 blanket lead to a green card?
The blanket is temporary status for the group. An executive or manager may later look at EB-1C if the U.S. company has been doing business for at least a year. In November 2026, EB-1 is current for people born in Brazil. That is that month's bulletin, not a forecast.
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