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Business Plans For L-1 Visa Applicants

The United States values international business relationships greatly, so much so that certain employees can obtain a unique visa – the L-1 visa – to work here as a liaison for a foreign company. Applying for an L-1 visa is notoriously more complicated than most other visa programs, as it requires a detailed look at your past, your present, and the future of your company. In order to increase your chances of acceptance, you need to first understand the visa’s requirements and formulate a solid business plan.

Request a personalized initial consultation with me, Houston Business Lawyer Patricia M. Davis, to get started.

L-1 Visa Applicant Requirements

Not just any employee of a foreign company can apply for an L-1 visa. You will have to show that you have a genuine purpose in the company and that the company needs you to conduct your business on American soil.

A basic rundown of L-1 visa requirements includes:

  1. Job title: You must be considered a manager, executive or a “specialized knowledge” employee of your foreign business. In other words, you must contribute to the company’s skills and information unique to you.
  2. Occupation duration: You must have been working out of your home country or abroad for at least one year, uninterrupted, within the last three years. This cannot be a new endeavor for you.
  3. Relation: The business you hope to establish here in the United States must be related to the foreign business you are representing, and that original business must plan on continuing its own operations.
  4. Operations: The new business here in the United States must have a physical office, it must take no longer than one year to begin full operations, and your managerial or executive job title must still be necessary after one year.

Making A Workable Business Plan

Much of the requirements hinge entirely on how you plan to run your business. If you cannot show the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that your business will be grounded on sound principles and capable of long-term success, it is unlikely that you will even be able to get the L-1 visa required to start it. Success relies heavily on your ability to make a business plan now and use evidence to prove its validity.

Articles, documents and other items of interest I can use to prove your business plan is valid include:

  • Partnership contracts
  • Business licenses
  • Payroll receipts
  • Personal performance reviews from superiors
  • Lease agreements for office space real estate
  • Employee records or profits (business’s continued operations)

When you work with a Houston business law attorney from my law firm, the future of your business and your own comfort and stability will be my focus. I want you to know that you can find success here in the United States with the help of an L-1 visa and a solid business plan.

Contact me by calling 713-936-9553 today.