Introduction
The following is a news release from the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) department, posted on the USCIS website on October 31, 2018. The USCIS news release refers to an 6-month extension of the joint agency pilot program for Canadian citizens who are seeking L-1 nonimmigrant status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The pilot program had an original deadline of October 31, 2018 which has been extended to a new deadline: April 30, 2019.
The pilot program allows, but does not require, Canadian citizens to request that USCIS remotely adjudicate their petitioning employer’s Form I-129 or I-129S prior to their arrival or when they arrive at the Blaine POE.
USCIS News Release
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are extending the joint agency pilot program for Canadian citizens seeking L-1 nonimmigrant status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through April 30, 2019.
Earlier this year, the USCIS California Service Center (CSC) and the CBP Blaine, Washington, port of entry (POE) announced this pilot program which was scheduled to run from April 30, 2018, through Oct. 31, 2018.
This pilot program allows, but does not require, Canadian citizens to request that USCIS remotely adjudicate their petitioning employer’s Form I-129 or I-129S prior to their arrival or when they arrive at the Blaine POE.
USCIS continues to encourage these Canadian citizens and their petitioning employers to email public.engagement@uscis.dhs.gov with feedback on their experience with the pilot program.
Over the next six months, USCIS and CBP will continue to work together to determine the efficiency of the program, identify shortcomings, and look for ways to improve it.
