United States
Business Expansion and Executive Mobility
U.S. entity and New Office planning, L-1A executive mobility, and EB-1C assessment where eligibility requirements are satisfied.
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© 2026 Conatus Mobility
Core destinations
Business & immigration planning
Conatus Mobility supports companies with established business operations outside the United States that plan to enter the U.S. market. We assist with the establishment of a U.S. entity and L-1A immigration planning for eligible multinational managers and executives.
Once the business has developed actual operations and an appropriate organisational structure, we can assess the EB-1C permanent residence pathway for eligible multinational managers and executives, based on the circumstances of the case.
01 · L-1A
An overseas business. A U.S. management role.
Begin with the existing overseas business, the qualifying corporate relationship and the executive’s experience, then align the U.S. entity with the proposed role.
- Qualifying corporate relationship
- The U.S. and overseas businesses must have a qualifying parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate relationship and continue doing business in the United States and at least one other country.
- Overseas employment
- The employee generally needs one continuous year of qualifying overseas employment within the preceding three years. A New Office L-1A case must also establish that the overseas role was managerial or executive.
- Substantive management duties
- The U.S. role must meet the managerial or executive definition. Duties, reporting lines and organisational structure matter; share ownership or a senior title alone does not establish eligibility.
02 · NEW OFFICE
Building the first year of U.S. operations
New Office applies where the U.S. office has been doing business for less than one year. We connect market entry, funding, premises and staffing in a coherent operating plan.
- Premises and resources
- Appropriate premises must be secured. The application should explain the business, organisation, financial objectives and funding, with facilities suited to the proposed operations.
- A credible first-year plan
- The business must be able to support a managerial or executive position within one year of approval. Staffing and allocation of responsibilities should be consistent with that plan.
- Initial approval
- Initial New Office L-1A approval is normally limited to one year. Company formation, petition processing and entry arrangements are separate steps; this approval period is not an end-to-end processing estimate.
03 · BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Operating the business. Preparing for continuity.
Keep operational evidence as part of normal business management and revisit staffing, reporting lines and extension readiness as the U.S. operation develops.
- Business activity and evidence
- Maintain contracts, transaction records, financial information and evidence of everyday operations for both the U.S. and overseas businesses. A registered address alone does not establish active business.
- Organisation and responsibilities
- Document the executive’s actual duties, team structure, payroll and changes in the business, connecting the operating record with the intended management role.
- Extensions and timing
- A New Office extension considers the preceding year’s operations, staffing and finances. L-1A generally permits up to seven years in total, with subsequent extensions usually up to two years at a time; individual immigration history affects the calculation.
04 · FAMILY
Planning for the executive and the family
Consider each family member’s status, education and day-to-day needs alongside the company’s U.S. establishment.
- Eligible L-2 family members
- A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may seek L-2 status, subject to the applicable requirements. Family relationships and the principal applicant’s period of status need to be checked.
- Employment for a spouse
- Eligible L-2 spouses are employment-authorised incident to status. Check the L-2S designation on Form I-94 and the relevant employment-verification documents. Children do not receive work authorisation on this basis.
- Education and local arrangements
- Coordinate housing and education around the office location, commuting and family priorities, with advance planning for travel, extensions and children approaching age limits.
05 · EB-1C
Assessing a longer-term residence pathway
EB-1C is a separate immigrant classification for multinational managers and executives. Eligibility depends on the business, employment history and corporate relationship; L-1A approval does not establish EB-1C eligibility.
- An operating U.S. employer
- The petitioning U.S. employer must have been doing business for at least one year and have a qualifying relationship with the overseas employer. A year since incorporation is not the same as a year of business operations.
- Employment and role requirements
- The qualifying overseas managerial or executive employment requirement is generally at least one year within the relevant three-year period. The applicable look-back depends on the person’s U.S. entry and employment history. The proposed U.S. role must also qualify.
- A separate petition and process
- The U.S. employer files Form I-140; labour certification is not required for this category. Petition approval and permanent resident status are separate stages, with the subsequent immigration process assessed individually.
Frequently asked questions
Clarify the starting point before choosing the company and immigration arrangements.
Can a company founder qualify for L-1A?
A founder may be assessed against the same corporate relationship, overseas employment and U.S. role requirements. We review the existing business and the founder’s day-to-day duties, then coordinate the petition strategy with licensed U.S. immigration counsel.
How are formation, premises and funding organised?
Start with the business model, customer base and staffing plan to select the entity and location. Coordinate incorporation, banking documentation, premises and the launch budget around that plan. Banks and professional providers apply their own review requirements.
Does one year of U.S. business make EB-1C available?
One year of actual U.S. business is only one requirement. The corporate relationship, overseas managerial experience, U.S. role and supporting evidence also need review. Incorporation timing or L-1A status alone cannot determine the outcome.
What does Conatus Mobility coordinate?
We support company establishment, business arrangements and family settlement, working with U.S. immigration counsel, accountants, tax advisers and other professionals. Legal advice and legal representation are provided by appropriately qualified professionals.
Policy checked: 26 September 2026. Eligibility and decisions are determined by the relevant authorities.
Key Services
Entity & Headquarters
- U.S. entity and company establishment
- New Office establishment planning
- Structuring the qualifying relationship between the overseas business and U.S. entity
- Coordination of U.S. business operations and organisational structure
Executives & Family Residence
- L-1A immigration planning for eligible multinational managers and executives
- L-2 status planning for eligible spouses and family members
- EB-1C permanent residence assessment where eligibility requirements are satisfied
- Long-term immigration planning for business owners and families
Business & Local Establishment
- Office and commercial property leasing or acquisition support
- Residential property selection, leasing or acquisition support for founders, executives and their families
- Coordination with real estate, legal and other professional service providers
- Coordination of corporate banking and local business services
- Coordination with U.S. accounting, tax and corporate legal professionals
- Education and family relocation support
Our Approach
Conatus Mobility provides planning and support based on each company’s operational needs, covering the establishment of overseas entities and headquarters, immigration and residence arrangements for founders, directors and key executives, family residence and local establishment.
In line with the specific requirements of each jurisdiction, we work with local lawyers, accountants, tax advisers, corporate service providers, real estate professionals and other professional service organisations to coordinate these arrangements.