L1B Visa Extension - Does a out of country travel required to extend L1B

[ananth404]

Hi,
I am Ananth holding L1B visa which is expiring on Aug 2014 and I94 is also expiring on Aug 2014. My company is filing L1B extension but my attorney is saying that I must leave the country and get the stamping done inorder to extend my L1B. Heard from other friends from a different organization that it can be extended without leaving the country. Please advice.

Thanks
Ananth

[raghvi]

Hi,
I am Ananth holding L1B visa which is expiring on Aug 2014 and I94 is also expiring on Aug 2014. My company is filing L1B extension but my attorney is saying that I must leave the country and get the stamping done inorder to extend my L1B. Heard from other friends from a different organization that it can be extended without leaving the country. Please advice.

Thanks
Ananth

Extension as per se means extend ones status while in US for which you dont need to leave US. Form I129 for yourself and I539 for your dependents needs to be filed to do so. The forms need to reach USCIS before I-94 expiry. Approval of this extension will come with a new I-94 and allows you to stay in US beyond the current I-94 expiry. But it doesn't allow you leave US and re enter after August 2014. In order to be allowed to re enter US after August 2014 (after your current visa expiry) you would need to go for fresh visa stamping

If you want to extend the visa beyond August 2014 in order to re enter US after Aug 2014, you have to leave US and get fresh L1 stamped in your passport in order to be allowed entry to US.

Extending ones stay and extending ones visa are two different things.

This is my opinion not legal advice.