Who qualifies?

• You’ve worked at least 1 continuous year in the last 3 years for the foreign company, as an executive, a manager or a specialized-knowledge employee.
• The U.S. company is a parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate of the foreign company.
• In the U.S., you’ll work as an executive or manager, directing the organization, a major function, or other managers.
• The foreign company keeps operating while you’re in the U.S.

The “new office” L-1A

You don’t need an existing U.S. office. A company can open a new U.S. entity and send an executive to build it. The initial approval is usually one year, and the extension requires showing real growth: premises, revenue, and staff so you’re managing people rather than doing the day-to-day work yourself.

Key advantages

• Stay up to 7 years in total.
• Your spouse can work, and your children can study.
• Path to a green card through the EB-1C category, usually without a labor certification.
• Premium processing is available for faster decisions.

Why L-1A petitions get denied

1. The role abroad looks like hands-on work rather than management.
2. The new U.S. office is too small to need a manager.
3. The relationship between the two companies isn’t clearly documented.

Why work with us

We help French and international companies set up their U.S. structure and file L-1A petitions that show a clear management role, in English and French, from our offices in California and Paris.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Arif Law Offices, P.C.