Think You’re Done Once Your L Visa Is Approved? Not Quite.

At the AILA Central Florida Chapter 2025 Conference, one message came through loud and clear during discussions with immigration attorneys: getting your L-1A visa approved is just the beginning.

Many entrepreneurs breathe a sigh of relief once their petition is approved, but the real work starts after that. To stay compliant and position yourself for a smooth L visa renewal or even a future EB-1C petition, you need to actively maintain the structure and performance described in your business plan.

Here are the main points attorneys emphasized:

Financials

From the moment your petition is approved, your U.S. company should operate in line with the financial and operational projections outlined in your business plan—especially projected revenues. Falling significantly behind without clear justification may raise concerns during renewal.

Staff

It’s not just about hiring; it’s about hiring the right people. The employees you bring on board should align with the staffing plan included in your petition. Most importantly, the visa beneficiary must be in a position that truly reflects managerial or executive capacity, as defined under the L-1A visa category.

Operations

Your company should continue to operate within the same line of business described in your original filing. If you pivot to a different model or expand into new areas, consult your immigration attorney before making changes to ensure continued compliance.

Qualifying Relationship

The ownership and control relationship between the U.S. and foreign entities must remain intact. Adjusting ownership percentages or altering corporate control could jeopardize your eligibility for renewal or future petitions.

Foreign Operations

Finally, don’t neglect your foreign company. It must remain active and operational. If it shuts down or significantly reduces operations, you risk losing eligibility for your L visa, its extension, or any subsequent EB-1C green card filing.

Maintaining Compliance Through Ongoing Monitoring

As discussed during the conference, consistency is key. That’s why at Visa Business Plans, we don’t stop at planning. Through our Visa Health Check-Up services, we monitor your company’s operational health every quarter—tracking revenues, staffing, and other key metrics that can affect future renewals. And for clients who want a more hands-on approach, our sister company ProfitWise offers bookkeeping designed for visa-holding entrepreneurs, ensuring that your financial records and reporting stay aligned with immigration expectations.

Our advice—and what attorneys at the conference reinforced—is to treat approval as the start of an ongoing compliance phase. Keeping your business plan, operations, and staffing aligned with immigration expectations isn’t just smart—it’s essential.

Stay tuned for our next AILA Central Florida Conference recap, where we’ll share more practical insights attorneys discussed to help visa-holding entrepreneurs protect their status and long-term immigration goals.

The information provided in this blog is intended solely for informational purposes. While we strive to offer accurate and up-to-date content, it should not be considered legal advice. Immigration laws and regulations are subject to change, and individual circumstances can vary widely. For personalized guidance and legal advice regarding your specific immigration situation, we strongly recommend consulting with a qualified immigration attorney who can provide you with tailored assistance and ensure compliance with current laws and regulations.

Visa Business Plans is led by Marco Scanu, a certified coach from the University of Miami with a globally-based practice coaching Fortune 1000 company executives, entrepreneurs, as well as professionals in four different continents. Mr. Scanu advises clients on turnaround strategies and crisis management.

Mr. Scanu received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Cum Laude) from the University of Florida and an MBA in Management from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. Mr. Scanu was also a Visiting Scholar at Michigan State University under the prestigious H. Humphrey Fellowship (Fulbright program) with a focus on Entrepreneurship, Venture Capital, and high-growth enterprises.

At present, Mr. Scanu is the managing partner and CEO at Visa Business Plans, a Miami-based boutique consulting firm providing attorneys and investors with business planning services in the areas of U.S. and Canadian immigration, SBA loans, and others.

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