Read the general business expansion overview
A new-office file combines corporate, employment, premises and operating evidence. Assign a responsible source to each category so the proposed U.S. operation can be assessed against the correct L-1A or L-1B requirements.
Distinguish observed facts from projections
Hypothetical example: a newly hired adviser writes a launch plan but did not supervise the applicant abroad. Obtain foreign-role evidence from records and people with relevant knowledge. Identify the qualifying corporate relationship and actual foreign business activity. A projection should be labelled as a projection, with its basis explained.
Use the correct role-specific launch test
For a qualifying L-1A new office, assess sufficient premises, the required foreign managerial or executive employment and the ability to support the proposed managerial or executive role within one year of approval. For L-1B, review the specialized-knowledge role, premises and financial ability to pay the employee and begin doing business. Do not substitute the L-1A staffing analysis for the L-1B standard.
Prepare records that can later show what happened
The initial new-office approval is limited to at most one year. Plan to retain actual operating, staffing and role records as activity develops. Registration or a lease alone does not establish doing business. An extension needs its own supporting evidence; an adviser’s original forecast does not prove the forecast was achieved.
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.