Read the general business expansion overview
A newly purchased business is not automatically a new office simply because the buyer is new. Identify the actual U.S. organization, its activity and the relevant qualifying transfer.
Establish the organization and chronology
Hypothetical example: a group acquires an operation and plans to transfer a manager or specialist. Assess actual qualifying ownership or control and generally one continuous full-time qualifying foreign employment year within the relevant preceding three years. New-office rules concern a U.S. organization doing business for less than one year; registration or a sale date alone does not resolve actual business activity.
Apply the relevant role-specific standard
L-1A new offices require sufficient premises, qualifying foreign managerial or executive employment and capacity to support the intended U.S. managerial or executive role within one year of approval. L-1B requires qualifying specialized knowledge, sufficient premises and financial ability to pay the employee and begin doing business. A transaction total does not replace the actual role and resources.
Use accurate post-transaction evidence
Initial new-office approval is limited to at most one year. Preserve genuine operations, staffing and duty records for any later assessment. Explain changes rather than presenting a former owner’s chart as current or assuming the acquisition itself guarantees extension eligibility.
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.