Read the general business expansion overview
A Richelieu group may operate through several related foreign companies. Map the proposed transferee’s employer and the business that will continue abroad rather than using a group name as the complete L explanation. Draw a dated line through the ownership chain, foreign operations, proposed U.S. entity, foreign duties and planned U.S. duties. The transferee needs at least one qualifying foreign-employment year in the three years before the pertinent filing or admission event. L-1A generally has a seven-year limit; L-1B generally has a five-year limit. Hypothetical example: a municipal water-meter testing firm plans a U.S. launch while its proposed manager still calibrates equipment abroad. The first-year staffing record must show management capacity, not merely relocated technical work.
Document the real qualifying relationships
Identify the relevant parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate relationship through actual ownership and control. A common brand or commercial agreement alone is not enough. Explain the required international business through the real entities; do not assume that every company in a presentation is automatically part of the qualifying organization. Pair ownership ledgers with records showing what each entity actually does, not simply its group label.
Match the individual to the new-office category
A U.S. organization doing business for less than one year is a new office. New-office L-1A needs the qualifying continuous foreign managerial or executive year within the relevant three years, sufficient premises and evidence the U.S. operation can support that role within one year. New-office L-1B requires specialized knowledge, qualifying foreign employment, sufficient premises and financial ability to pay the employee and begin business. Place payroll and reporting evidence beside actual foreign duties before relying on the employee’s title.
Keep the international activity and later evidence concrete
The required U.S. and foreign business must be real; registration alone does not establish regular, systematic and continuous goods or services. Initial new-office approval is limited to one year, and extension planning needs actual evidence. Owners or major stockholders also need temporary U.S. services and subsequent foreign-assignment evidence. Avoid both an unsupported same-entity assumption and an unexplained claim that any foreign company will suffice. Test the first year against the lease, hiring sequence and allocation of recurring operational tasks.
What else is on your mind?
Does being a business owner or director qualify me for L-1A?What employment history should an L-1 transfer review cover?What makes a new-office L-1A case different?Why does an L-2 spouse’s admission record matter for work?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.