Marco Scanu, CEO of Visa Business Plans, was recently in Geneva attending the AILA RDC EMEA Spring Conference, where U.S. immigration attorneys from across the region gathered to discuss what is actually happening in today’s adjudication environment. As with the other insights we’ve been sharing from that trip, some of the most valuable takeaways didn’t come from formal presentations, but from the conversations happening in the room.
One of those conversations came up during the E and L panel, where experienced practitioners were discussing current trends. At one point, the discussion shifted toward RFEs, and almost immediately, a pattern emerged that everyone seemed to recognize.
L-1A job duties are getting flagged. A lot.
Not because the role doesn’t qualify, but because the way it’s being described isn’t holding up.
It’s something we’ve been seeing as well. Almost every week, we speak with clients who come to us after receiving an RFE, often with business plans prepared elsewhere. And one of the most common issues we review is exactly this: the job duties are too vague.
On paper, the case might look strong. The company is legitimate. The structure makes sense. The beneficiary has the right background. But once USCIS starts reading the job description, things begin to fall apart.
The issue is simple, but it’s critical.
An L-1A petition is not about what the title suggests. It’s about what the person actually does all day.
Generic descriptions like “manage operations” or “oversee strategy” don’t work anymore. They’re too broad, too open to interpretation, and could apply to dozens of different roles across different levels of a company. When a job description reads that way, it creates uncertainty, and that’s exactly what officers are trained to question.
What came out of that panel, and what we’re seeing in practice, is that USCIS is looking for clarity at a much deeper level. They want to understand not just the function of the role, but how it is performed in real terms.
That’s where stronger cases start to separate themselves.
Instead of relying on general statements, they use action-driven language that shows what the beneficiary is actually doing. They align those duties clearly with the managerial or executive classification being claimed, and they break down how time is spent across different responsibilities in a way that feels real and defensible.
So instead of saying “manage operations,” a stronger description would explain how that management actually happens. For example, conducting weekly strategy meetings with subordinate managers, reviewing departmental performance, setting priorities, and aligning execution with company objectives. It’s more detailed, but it also gives the officer something concrete to understand and evaluate.
And this is where one of the most important points from that discussion comes in.
You can’t be too granular.
That idea came up more than once, and it’s something we see clients push back on all the time. There’s often a concern that too much detail is unnecessary or that it complicates the narrative. But in today’s environment, that level of detail is exactly what strengthens the case.
Because the difference between an approval and an RFE is often not the role itself. It’s how clearly that role is explained.
Being in Geneva and hearing the same issue arise across different attorneys and case types reinforces how important it is to stay aligned with how adjudications are evolving. Visa Business Plans was the only company focused exclusively on immigration business plans attending the conference, and being part of these discussions allows us to continuously adapt how we structure business plans so they reflect what officers are actually looking for today, ultimately helping strengthen our clients’ cases and increase their chances of approval.
At the end of the day, an L-1A case doesn’t fail because the role isn’t managerial or executive. It fails because that reality wasn’t clearly shown.
And right now, clarity is everything.
In the next blog, we’ll share another insight from Geneva that is shaping how cases are being evaluated in practice.
Contact us today to get startedThe 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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