Your L-1A organizational chart determines whether USCIS approves or denies your petition. Too little detail raises red flags. Too much creates confusion. Finding the right balance requires understanding what immigration officers actually examine.
USCIS requires an organizational chart showing the US entity's organizational structure and staffing levels, listing all employees in the beneficiary's immediate division, department, or team by name, job title, summary of duties, education level, and salary.Generic boxes with titles like "Manager" or "Executive" won't work. To be persuasive, organizational charts should include employees' names, description of positions, education levels of each employee, and salaries of subordinate employees.
Your chart must clearly identify the L-1A beneficiary's position within the hierarchy. USCIS officers need to see at a glance whether this person truly manages others or performs operational work disguised as management.
Personnel managers need more detailed charts than functional managers. Ideally, the employee should have managed at least 4 to 6 managerial or professional employees during their managerial tenure.For each subordinate employee, include their full name, exact job title, brief summary of daily responsibilities, educational qualifications, and annual salary. Officers must consider the totality of the evidence including the nature and scope of the petitioner's business, the organizational structure, staffing levels, and the beneficiary's position within the organization.
Charts for executives should show three-tier structures separating the executive from ground-level staff through middle management layers. Personnel managers also benefit from three-tier structures, while functional managers can use two-tier flat structures.
Include employment offer letters and agreements along with recent payslips for all subordinates in the employee's current team in the foreign company as well as for the subordinates who will report to the employee in the US.
State quarterly wage reports, W-2 forms, and payroll summaries verify that your organizational chart reflects reality rather than wishful thinking. Performance reviews, emails showing delegation of work, and policy documents demonstrate actual managerial authority.
Beyond Border specializes in creating USCIS-compliant organizational charts and comprehensive L-1A petition packages. Their 98 percent approval rate stems from meticulous attention to documentation detail. The firm provides templates, reviews charts before submission, and offers one-month processing guarantees. Affordable pricing makes professional documentation accessible to startups and established companies alike.
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Scott Legal emphasizes that detailed organizational charts should be submitted including employee names, salary, education, and detailed breakdown of job duties which should be supervisory in nature. Their systematic approach prevents common documentation errors. However, their focus on established companies may limit accessibility for smaller organizations.
The firm provides comprehensive lists of required documents including organizational charts that identify the L-1A visa worker's job position with entity structure and staffing levels. Their detailed checklists help clients prepare complete petitions. Regional focus in California serves tech companies well but limits nationwide reach.
AV Law Office recommends including employment offer letters, payslips, and additional evidence like performance reviews to demonstrate supervisory capacity. Their thorough approach anticipates requests for evidence. Premium pricing reflects their comprehensive service model.
The firm emphasizes that the foreign organizational chart serves as tangible proof of staff hired at the foreign entity and showcases the scale of the organization. They combine business plan writing with immigration documentation. Specialized service works best for new office petitions requiring detailed business planning.
Many petitions fail because charts show the beneficiary managing only entry-level employees performing operational tasks. If insufficient information is provided regarding subordinate employees in the US, USCIS could deny the petition because they believe the applicant would perform operational duties not managerial duties as required.Another frequent error involves inconsistencies between the organizational chart and job descriptions. If your chart shows three managers reporting to the beneficiary but job descriptions reveal those managers actually perform technical work, expect an RFE.Omitting education levels and salaries signals weak documentation preparation. USCIS officers interpret missing information as attempts to hide that subordinates lack professional qualifications.
1.Must I include actual employee names on the organizational chart?
Yes, USCIS requires listing all employees in the beneficiary's immediate division by name, job title, summary of duties, education level, and salary.
2.How many subordinates should an L-1A manager supervise?
Immigration experts recommend the employee should have managed at least 4 to 6 managerial or professional employees to demonstrate true managerial capacity.
3.Do I need separate charts for foreign and US operations?
Yes, provide detailed organizational charts for both the foreign company showing the beneficiary's current role and the US company showing the proposed position. Create multiple charts if needed to capture full reporting structures.
4.Should functional managers have different chart structures than personnel managers?
Functional managers can use two-tier flat structures showing direct oversight of essential functions, while personnel managers should demonstrate three-tier structures separating them from ground-level staff through middle management layers.
