Read the general business expansion overview
For a St.-Charles new-office proposal, an employment anniversary is not enough to resolve a leave period. Establish the service facts before relying on them to support the first U.S. assignment.
Obtain the employer’s account of the interval
Identify active employment, the nature of leave, location and return. Preserve appropriate records and resolve inconsistent dates through the employer. Do not assume all leave counts, or all absence breaks continuity. U.S. days do not count toward the qualifying foreign year, though brief visits do not automatically interrupt it.
Apply the new-office category actually proposed
The framework concerns a U.S. organization doing business less than one year. New-office L-1A needs qualifying foreign managerial or executive employment; the broader ordinary L-1A allowance for foreign specialized knowledge does not replace that condition. Prove the qualifying corporate relationship, continuing foreign business and sufficient premises, with support for the U.S. managerial or executive role within one year of approval.
Keep the opening plan grounded in the evidence
Initial new-office approval is at most one year. For L-1B, establish requisite knowledge, sufficient premises and financial ability to pay the employee and commence business. Identify the continuous full-time qualifying foreign year within the relevant three years and how the U.S. work will be performed. A desired opening date cannot supply missing service or extend the initial approval period.
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: 2026-09-08. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.