Read the general business expansion overview
A new-office L-1 petition allows a company that has not yet been doing business in the United States for a year to transfer a manager, executive or specialized-knowledge employee to establish it. Approval is for one year only, and the petition must show that physical premises have been secured, that the U.S. entity has the financial ability to pay the transferee and start operations, and, for a manager, that within a year the office will support a genuinely managerial role. The extension at the end of that year is where the plan is tested against what actually happened.
Secure the premises and the corporate shell before filing
Hypothetical example: a Lac-Beauport landscape-architecture practice with a Québec City studio wins two U.S. commissions and decides to open a small office to serve them. Before any petition, it must form or acquire a U.S. entity that is a parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate of the Québec firm, with ownership records showing the qualifying relationship. It must also lease office space sufficient for the intended staff; a virtual office or a mailbox does not satisfy the premises requirement, and a lease that begins only on visa approval invites doubt. Open a U.S. bank account, capitalize the entity with a documented transfer from the Québec firm, and assemble the two commissions' contracts as evidence that there is real work to do. These are the exhibits that show the office is a plan being executed, not an idea.
Write the business plan for the extension, not just the filing
The new-office petition must include a description of the proposed U.S. operation, its organizational structure, its financial goals, the size of the investment and the transferee's proposed duties. For a managerial transferee, it must also show that within one year the office will grow enough that the person's duties are primarily managerial rather than hands-on. Draft the plan with the extension in mind: name the positions to be hired in the first year, with target dates and salaries, and explain how the two commissions fund them. When the extension is filed, USCIS will compare the plan with payroll records, tax filings and the actual organizational chart. A plan that promised four hires and produced one needs an explanation; a plan that promised two and delivered two is in a strong position even if it was modest.
Decide who goes first and document their qualifying year
The transferee must have worked for the Québec firm for one continuous year in the past three in a managerial, executive or specialized-knowledge capacity. For a small practice the natural candidate is often a partner, and a partner's year is evidenced by payroll or partnership draws, project records and the firm's own organizational chart. If the founder goes, the petition must show that the Québec studio will continue operating under other leadership, since both entities must remain active. If a senior designer goes as a specialized-knowledge employee, the file must show what proprietary methods they carry. Plan the family side too: the L-2 spouse may work, children may study, and the one-year initial period means the household should keep its Québec arrangements reversible until the extension is granted.
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.