Do not assume that describing work as preparation makes it permissible as a visitor. Have each actual activity and the appropriate status assessed before proceeding.
Distinguish meetings from employment
Business consultations or contract negotiations may fit visitor rules when the requirements are met. Starting the U.S. operating role is a different proposal. An invitation or senior title does not establish the applicable permission.
Assess the person’s actual duties and authority within the organization rather than the voting rule alone. Explain who performs ordinary tasks and what decisions the applicant makes about the function. Do not backdate a management promotion; for new-office L-1A, the required foreign employment must have been managerial or executive. List each country team, identify which professionals or managers handle production or service delivery there, and specify which budget, staffing, or policy decisions the applicant makes without needing local approval. Separately confirm one continuous year of qualifying employment abroad within the three years before filing and an active parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate relationship. Supervising non-professional staff is first-line supervision; L-1A needs management of a function or of subordinate supervisors or professionals, with real authority over staffing and policy. A first review should produce two timelines: the qualifying relationship between organizations and the employee’s continuous foreign employment.