L1 Finally through

[mandybenn]

Hi All

I thought I would let you all know that we have finally had an answer on our L1. A Copy of the email:-

Dear Mrs. Benn,

We regret the delay in responding to your inquiry.

The Non-Immigrant Visa Unit has now completed their review of your application and we are ready to issue you and your family visas. Please submit your passports to the Embassy by Secure Mail Services (SMS). SMS can be contacted on 08709 501 760 to arrange delivery.

Sincerely,

Consular Information Unit
U.S. Embassy, London
CONS/CIU/SF

Well all this time and thats it!! I don't know where to start now. Has anyone got any hints & tips? We aren't selling our U.K home and although all the family are travelling in the next month to get our Passports stamped there is only myself spending much of my time in the U.S. As you can imagine it is a bit daunting.

Mandy

[joe]

Hi All

I thought I would let you all know that we have finally had an answer on our L1. A Copy of the email:-

Dear Mrs. Benn,

We regret the delay in responding to your inquiry.

The Non-Immigrant Visa Unit has now completed their review of your application and we are ready to issue you and your family visas. Please submit your passports to the Embassy by Secure Mail Services (SMS). SMS can be contacted on 08709 501 760 to arrange delivery.

Sincerely,

Consular Information Unit
U.S. Embassy, London
CONS/CIU/SF

Well all this time and thats it!! I don't know where to start now. Has anyone got any hints & tips? We aren't selling our U.K home and although all the family are travelling in the next month to get our Passports stamped there is only myself spending much of my time in the U.S. As you can imagine it is a bit daunting.

Mandy

i understand that M+S carry a wide range of quality champagne.....congratulations

Joe

[anniefromessex]

Mandy, many many congratulations to you. About time too. Really wish you and your family the very best of luck - let the fun begin, ha ha!!! Please keep us posted on what is happening in your life.

If you are going to be in the Kissimee area, there are so many lovely people on here who live in that area who would be only too pleased to befriend you, I miss them like mad - so don't be afraid to ask them for help.

Once again, delighted to hear your news.

Love Anniexxx

[SHEILA 13]

Mandy,Congrats at last !!!!!
Sheila

[lorraine]

Mandy excellent news well done you, champagne on ice over here lolx

[byjove]

excellent news! Well done! First things first! Open that bottle of bubbly and glug the lot!

[DEE F]

Congratulations Mandy,really pleased for you,where abouts are you going to be staying,if you are in my neck of the woods(Kissimmee) pm me and perhaps we can get together for coffee,but for now get drunk be happy cos the fun is about to begin,any questions ask away,will be pleased to help in any way I can,once again well done:) :)

Dee xx

[OberonSH]

Hey mandy, well done! Have you posted a quick rundown of your journey so we can see what happened in your journey? I guess it does seem a bit of an anti-climax - a simple email to herald the biggest focus of your lfe to this point! Should have been hand-delivered by a singing telegram with balloons and bells!

[kirtida8]

Congrats Mandy. If you don't already have a house over here, it may be best to rent for the time being especially as house prices are still falling.

[mandybenn]

Hi

First of all thanks for all your best wishes and support and as i am going to be on my own, most of the time Year 1, it would be great to meet up for a stiff one with any of you!!

Oberon, I have posted every step on here but as it has taken nearly 2 years since we began the whole journey most of you will have forgotten. Our actual Embassy appointment was 10th Dec (L1). No news! No reason! No questions asked! just the email saying can we have your passports for visa issuance yesterday.

Now the journey begins and I don't know where to start. My daughter is on holiday till April and we have 3 months in which to enter the U.S so we are planning on 1st May to enter. It gives me time to sort all business here and make sure my Salon is sorted.

Kirtida, I had decided to rent mainly because we would require 30% deposit due to us being 'Immigrants', however I would rather buy as it is as expensive to rent and at least we would have something to sell if we have to return to the U.K. We will look at all our options later.

We will need 2 vans as one of our many priorities, does anyone have any idea where there is a good dealer with a good price? Used vehicles would be fine!

Please let me know the must do's on arriving in the U.S anything will help.

Thanks :hug:

Mandy

[OberonSH]

After I posted I had a search, so have refreshed a bit, so have had a quick read. So basically after your interview you have to send off your passports, get them back with a stamp and then that's it? Presumably there'll be something on the other end - do you have to go through a special channel when you get off the plane or what?

[mandybenn]

Hi Oberon

We have gone through the same process as any other E2 / L1 applicant. We were accepted in the U.S and our petition had to go with us to our appointment at the Embassy. God knows why they made us wait but anyway 3 months later we have to send our passports by SMS to obtain our Visa. What happens when we get to the airport god knows!! Our Immigration Lawyer wants to see us as soon as we land but other than that we know nothing.

Mandy

[davidmartin_uk]

Congratulations on your success.

You Visas will be printed on full page in your passports You should check or your VA should check that they are correct (if you are a principle, that your partner and kids have the correct annotation) . Your VA should also get a letter from the embassy with a company registration number. All that happens at the USA side is you get your I94

Dave

[kirtida8]

Byjove had a truck for sale

[byjove]

still do! :(

[Susie]

Hi All

I thought I would let you all know that we have finally had an answer on our L1. A Copy of the email:-

Dear Mrs. Benn,

We regret the delay in responding to your inquiry.

The Non-Immigrant Visa Unit has now completed their review of your application and we are ready to issue you and your family visas. Please submit your passports to the Embassy by Secure Mail Services (SMS). SMS can be contacted on 08709 501 760 to arrange delivery.

Sincerely,

Consular Information Unit
U.S. Embassy, London
CONS/CIU/SF

Well all this time and thats it!! I don't know where to start now. Has anyone got any hints & tips? We aren't selling our U.K home and although all the family are travelling in the next month to get our Passports stamped there is only myself spending much of my time in the U.S. As you can imagine it is a bit daunting.

Mandy

Yippppiiiiiiiieeeeeeee, fantastic news, many congratulations, well deserved after the long wait.

First things first, get sloshed :rofl: ;)

Let us know when your arriving so we can arrange a celebration.

[Susie]

Hey mandy, well done! Have you posted a quick rundown of your journey so we can see what happened in your journey? I guess it does seem a bit of an anti-climax - a simple email to herald the biggest focus of your lfe to this point! Should have been hand-delivered by a singing telegram with balloons and bells!

Yes that would be great if you could Mandy and would you be willing to share your story on the expatsvoice myspace page too?

[mandybenn]

Hi

I'll share anything I'm kind that way ha!! I just didn't want to bore the guys who have traveled this journey with me.

On an L1 (I'm sure you all know) this is the start and by no means an easy ride.

We began 2 yrs ago looking at businesses and collecting advise from Expat's, One Stop Shops and Attorneys. We found a good Immigration Lawyer who told it straight (recommended by a friend who is on L1 in Sarasota). We have a 20 yr old and a 17yr old so things are very difficult. Our option was an L1 but our Attorney told us we would be borderline due to our unusual situation ( A Hair Salon and a Plumbing Company). My husband is the Plumbing Company but has a large Turnover and uses Sub Contractors as and when. We became a Ltd Co' in 2006 to support the application and because it made sense for Tax purposes. The L1 application is based on myself being the Manager of the Salon. I have 4 employees and although we have a turnover of £82K there is no huge profit.

As I am the L1 my husband and kids have gained an L2 which gives them the freedom to come and go as they please in the next year. My husband can work when he applies for a work permit but due to us keeping our home in the U.K and children's ages he doesn't plan to work in the U.S in year 1. If we get renewal we will assess the situation (as you may be aware we can then apply for Green Card status).

We contacted a person we have had much support from at Pilgrim inc (oops! I don't know if I'm aloud to mention Companies) he found our Villa for us 5 yrs ago. He found us a business based on our requirements. The Company has 2 employees and although is not a new 'start up' we have based the visa on that to get 1 yr. The renewal is harder than the initial L1 app and therefore it is important to us to keep things going in the U.K. Our confidence in the Embassy is that in 1 yr they may decide they do not want any L1's and then we will have lost everything.

Our petition was accepted in Oct 2007, we visited the Embassy 10th Dec and told further administration was required. We were with the guy 5 mins who asked 3 Q's:-

What are we going to be doing?
How many employees do we have in the U.K?
Who will be looking after our Company in the U.K?

We have then had to wait with no explanation till 10th March exactly 3 months. Perhaps this is to test us! The app didn't leave the Embassy and no further questions were asked.

We will need to apply for an extension to our petition in the U.S as this runs out in Oct 08.

I can't think of anything else unless anyone has any question?

Mandy

[OberonSH]

Is there anything you would have done differently looking back? Any advice for those of us just starting out?

How have you been since you got your news? How did the family take it?

[mandybenn]

Hi Oberon

Looking back, Well that's a long way!! I don't think people realize that there is a lot of preparation before even putting in your application. We had to become a Ltd Company we had to set up an LLC in the U.S, we looked at numerous Businesses and still you are no further. It is out of our hands what happens and you can't plan because you are planning on 'what if' not 'when'. So what I have to do now is very stressful because nothing can be done until you have the OK from the Embassy. We couldn't get too involved with the business we are buying because until the seller had confirmation that everything was ok he didn't want to share all financial and client data (which is totally understandable). So now 2 yrs down the line I am now looking at what I am buying, has anything changed!!

I think for anyone applying for a visa they need to know the In's and outs of that particular visa and not get too excited with 'The American Dream'. We have had a property in Kissimmee for nearly 6 yrs and know the utilities are the same as in the U.K. I am really nervous about whether the business can support the whole family (which is what the Embassy are also concerned about) and with that in mind there is only myself and my son initially spending most of our time in Florida. I know it is going to be very difficult both personally and financially for the next year managing a family and business across 2 Countries but we can't afford to sell up in the U.K, to then fail after 1 year as it would be impossible to buy again in the U.K.

I would also say that a good Immigration Lawyer is very important, whilst in the U.K there is only so much you can do and ours has been excellent. Once again on a cost point of view we shall be needing her more and more as our son becomes 21 yrs and therefore the costs escalate.

I suppose we should have not hesitated so long and just gone for it as now we have the age out problem which we have always been aware of but we did start the journey many years ago.

Once you know what you are doing in respect of which visa and how it effects you and your family the paperwork is straight forward and the rest is in the hands of 'The Powers That Be' (The Embassy).

Mandy x

[Susie]

Thanks for sharing your journey Mandy, I am sure others will benefit:) Can you pm Kris permission to use the info?

[mandybenn]

Hi Susie

Will do! I'm not sure where that other site is but I'll take another look!

If anyone wants to ask anything feel free as I can't remember all details as we have been so long in our L1. What I will let you know next is that we have to find a way of allowing my son to stay when he's 21yrs which is this year. Our friend who's child turn 21yrs May 2007 and has an L2 (which is off the back of a Parents L1) has managed to stay by applying for his Green Card. He hasn't received it yet and it can take years but he has a special document allowing him to travel and work or study. He has his SS no' and is currently training as a Firefighter in Sarasota.
So it must depend on each circumstance. Obviously we don't expect miracles so hence our oversees family, 2 in the U.K & 2 in the U.S.

Speak soon

Mandy