Many entrepreneurs around the world open a company in the U.S. dreaming of expansion. For this purpose, many pursue the L1 visa — L1A for executives or managers, and L1B for specialized knowledge personnel. The first steps are often quick: form an LLC or Corporation, open a bank account, sign a lease.
But when it comes to transferring an employee, the immigration reality imposes a clear demand: demonstrate a verifiable corporate relationship between the foreign company and the U.S. entity. USCIS doesn’t assess intentions; it evaluates legal structures. If the two businesses are not clearly connected by common ownership or control, the case can be denied — regardless of how qualified the applicant is.
At Grupo Sineva, we’ve seen cases where the U.S. business was registered in the applicant’s personal name, while the foreign company had a different structure, different owner, or lacked documentation showing the link. Additionally, it’s necessary to show structure, operational intent, and a realistic expansion plan. If there are no employees, no hiring plan, no evidence of contracts or business activity — the applicant’s role loses weight: what exactly are they coming to do?
This problem affects both L1A and L1B applicants. For executives and managers, you can’t exercise control if there’s no real relationship between entities. For specialized knowledge workers, you can’t justify an internal transfer without a defined multinational group.
That’s why at Grupo Sineva, we understand that the L1 is not just an immigration procedure — it’s the natural consequence of a well-founded business expansion strategy. So when a client comes to us with a newly created LLC and no operations, we don’t rush to file the visa. First, we build the business. Then we file the application.
This includes:
- Designing a realistic organizational structure, aligned with the industry.
- Defining key roles, hiring timelines, and workflow.
- Creating supporting documents: initial contracts, business intentions, income projections, and more.
- Advising on licenses, early marketing, and supplier or distributor relationships.
- Preparing the applicant to show they’re not starting from scratch, but leading a growing project.
At Grupo Sineva, our work goes far beyond filling out forms. With serious, structured, professional preparation, the L1 becomes the natural extension of international corporate growth. There’s no need to stretch arguments or profiles — everything fits strategically and credibly.
