March 15, 2012 Updates from Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo / 米国国務省および東京の米国大使館よりの最新情報 L visas may be issued for a maximum period of 60 months; new interview waiver program and new visa processing procedures at the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan. DOS Final Rule to Allow Issuance of L Visas for Full Reciprocity Periods As we indicated in a previous Immigration Alert on January 31, 2012, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a Final Rule amending its regulations to require that L intracompany transferee visas be issued for the full validity period allowed by the relevant visa reciprocity schedule. On March 13, 2012, we obtained updated information issued by the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, Canada, that, based on an official DOS cable, L visas will be granted through the validity of the reciprocity schedule beginning March 15, 2012, unless the applicant requires a waiver of ineligibility, in which case the visa will be limited to the duration of the approved waiver. The maximum reciprocity period for an L visa for Japanese nationals is 60 months; therefore, individual L-1 and blanket L-1 visa applicants may receive visas valid for 60 months, although their approval notices are valid only for up to 36 months (the maximum time allowed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services). Interview Waiver Pilot Program Qualified Japanese citizens who are repeat visitors to the United States and who have been interviewed and fingerprinted in conjunction with a prior visa application may be eligible to renew their visas without undergoing another interview. Please see the following U.S. Embassy website for details: http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/visa/tvisa-niv-renewal.html. Change of Nonimmigrant Visa Application Procedures in Japan Effective March 23, 2012, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan will implement new visa procedures. Applicants who apply for nonimmigrant visas will be required to pay the application fee before they make interview appointments. 米国国務省の規則変更によるL ビザの有効期間の延長 以前お送りした当社のImmigration Alert にてお伝えしましたが、今年の１月３１日 に米国国務省は最終変更 規則を発表し、親子関連企業間での転勤用のLビザは米国との相互協定スケジュールに基づいた期間発行される ことになりました。これに関連して、３月１３日、当社はカナダのトロントにある米国領事館が発行した次の最 新情報を入手いたしました：米国国務省からの正式ケーブルにより、３月１５日より、Lビザを相互協定スケジ ュールに基づいて発行する。ただし、Lビザ不資格者がそれを免除してもらう書類とともに申請する場合は許可 された免除書類の期間までとする。 www.morganlewis.com 1 © Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP 当社では同じ内容のケーブルが東京、大阪を含む全米国領事館へ送られているものと推察いたします。日本と米 国間の相互協定に基づくLビザの最長期間は６０ヶ月（５年）となっておりますので、普通のLビザおよびブラン ケットLビザ申請者は、たとえ移民局からの許可が３６ヶ月（移民局で認める最長期間）であっても、６０ヶ月 のビザが発行されると予想されます。 この期限のギャップ（L申請許可証とLビザ最長有効期限） に関して、移民局よりなんらかのメモが発行されるものと予想いたします。 面接免除パイロットプログラム 前回のビザ申請時に面接，指紋、及び十分なスクリーニングを受けた、資格のある日本人は再度面接を受けずにビ ザの更新ができる可能性があります。詳細は次の米国大使館のウエブサイト, ビザの更新ページをご覧ください。 http://japanese.japan.usembassy.gov/j/visa/tvisaj-niv-renewal.html 非移民ビザ申請手続きの変更 2012年3月23日より、米国大使館・領事館は、新しい非移民ビザ申請手続きを導入します。ビザ申請者は面接 予約の前に申請料金を支払わなければなりません。新しいシステムは3月23日より使用可能です。 詳しい情報は下記の米国大使館のウエブサイトをご覧ください。 http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ComingSoon/jp_jp/index.html. Contacts For more information, or if you have any questions regarding the issues discussed in this Immigration Alert, please contact any of the following attorneys: Washington, D.C. Eleanor Pelta Eric S. Bord 202.739.5050 202.739.6040 epelta@morganlewis.com ebord@morganlewis.com San Francisco A. James Vázquez-Azpiri Lance Nagel 415.442.1343 415.442.1345 ajvazquez@morganlewis.com lnagel@morganlewis.com Boston Lisa Stephanian Burton 617.341.7725 lburton@morganlewis.com Now Available: AILA’s Focus on Immigration Practice Under AC21 Written by Eleanor Pelta and A. James Vázquez-Azpiri, AILA’s Focus on Immigration Practice Under AC21 provides invaluable insight on the effect AC21 has had on the H-1B visa category. For more information, please visit www.ailapubs.org/ac21.html or call 1.800.982.2939 to order a copy. About Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP With 22 offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia, Morgan Lewis provides comprehensive transactional, litigation, labor and employment, regulatory, and intellectual property legal services to clients of all sizes—from global Fortune 100 companies to just-conceived start-ups—across all major industries. Our international team of attorneys, patent agents, employee benefits advisors, regulatory scientists, and other specialists—nearly 3,000 professionals total—serves clients from locations in Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Harrisburg, Houston, Irvine, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Princeton, San Francisco, Tokyo, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington. For more information about Morgan Lewis or its practices, please visit us online at www.morganlewis.com. www.morganlewis.com 2 © Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP This Alert is provided as a general informational service to clients and friends of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. It should not be construed as, and does not constitute, legal advice on any specific matter, nor does this message create an attorney-client relationship. These materials may be considered Attorney Advertising in some states. Please note that the prior results discussed in the material do not guarantee similar outcomes. Links provided from outside sources are subject to expiration or change. © 2012 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. All Rights Reserved. www.morganlewis.com 3 © Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
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