IN THIS GUIDE · Ask the Shannon employer for the organizational facts an L-1A petition cannot do without
Start with the L-1A eligibility and application overview
Ask for the ownership chart with percentages, not the marketing organogram
Hypothetical example: a Shannon-based general manager of a specialized logistics and warehousing firm that serves contractors is told she will move to run the company's Texas affiliate. Her first question to the owners should be who holds what share of each company. If the Texas entity is owned by the same two shareholders in the same proportions, the affiliate relationship can be shown; if a U.S. investor holds most of it, the relationship may fail. The chart the petition needs is the one on the share registers.
Ask who will report to her and who she will report to
A manager under L-1A supervises other supervisors or professionals, or manages an essential function at a senior level, and has authority over hiring and firing. The employer should provide the Texas organizational chart with names and titles, the number of employees, and a description of her authority. If the affiliate has three warehouse staff and no supervisors, the petition must explain how her role is managerial rather than hands-on, or the plan should add the supervisory layer first.
Ask for the payroll history that proves the year abroad
The qualifying year must be continuous, in a managerial, executive or specialized-knowledge role, with a group entity, and within the three years before filing. Maternity or other leave, a period as a contractor rather than an employee, or a year spent at the U.S. affiliate can all complicate the count. The employer's payroll records and the employment contract settle it; ask for them before the lawyer does.
Ask what happens to the household and the clock
The L-2 spouse may work for any employer without a separate authorization document, and children may attend school until 21. L-1A counts toward a seven-year maximum together with any earlier L or H time. If the employer's intention is a permanent posting, ask whether it will support an EB-1C multinational manager petition later, because the evidence is largely shared and the timing is easier if planned from the start.
Managerial capacity is defined by decisions, not by headcount
The applicable rules require sufficient physical premises and evidence supporting the qualifying role and operation. Executive capacity means directing the management of the organization or a major component, setting goals and policies, and operating under only general supervision. A useful first review ends with a proposed organization chart for the first six months, naming who performs the operational work and who reports to the transferee. Organization charts, budgets, delegation policies, payroll records and examples of prior decisions can show who sets goals, allocates resources and evaluates subordinate work.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.