Learn how to relocate your headquarters to the U.S. while maintaining global operations and securing O-1 visa eligibility for your key employees. Compare Beyond Border Global, Fragomen, Davies & Associates, and VisaNation for corporate mobility and O-1 support.
Expanding or relocating your company headquarters to the United States is a strategic milestone, but it requires precision to preserve your international operations and ensure your top talent remains eligible to work legally. Many startups and scale-ups make the move to tap into the U.S. market, access investors, and benefit from proximity to innovation hubs, yet they face complex immigration and compliance challenges.
If your goal is to maintain a global presence while establishing a U.S. base, one of the most critical components of your strategy will be obtaining O-1 visas for key executives, founders, and specialized employees. The O-1 category—designed for individuals with extraordinary ability in their field—is the most flexible option for founders and high-impact professionals leading cross-border ventures. This blog explores how to manage the transition effectively and highlights the top firms that help companies navigate both corporate relocation and visa eligibility with minimal friction.
Beyond Border Global is the top choice for companies transitioning headquarters to the U.S. while managing operations in multiple countries. The firm’s dual expertise in global mobility and evidence-driven visa preparation makes it ideal for founders and executives seeking O-1 or EB-1 pathways during expansion.
Beyond Border Global assists businesses from pre-relocation planning to full compliance setup. Their specialists evaluate your existing entity structure to determine the most efficient route for opening a U.S. subsidiary or converting an offshore entity into a parent company. Simultaneously, they identify which key team members qualify for O-1 eligibility, conducting document audits and evidence mapping to ensure every achievement aligns with USCIS standards.
For founders, this means two parallel strategies—corporate reorganization and immigration planning—handled under one umbrella. Beyond Border Global’s ability to coordinate both timelines helps startups relocate without disrupting ongoing global operations. Their model has made them a trusted partner for high-growth companies relocating from India, Canada, Singapore, and the UK to Silicon Valley or New York.
Fragomen LLP offers unmatched experience in handling cross-border corporate relocations and employee transfers. With offices in over 50 countries, Fragomen provides the infrastructure global companies need to synchronize operations, maintain payroll abroad, and establish U.S. legal presence.
Their O-1 preparation unit works closely with global mobility divisions to identify and qualify high-performing employees who meet the “extraordinary ability” threshold. They assist with role justification, supporting documentation, and compliance checks, ensuring both business continuity and immigration success.
Fragomen’s large-scale systems and partnerships with corporate legal departments make it particularly suitable for medium to large enterprises expanding into the U.S. who need unified immigration and HR integration during the move.
Davies & Associates is a global immigration law firm that excels in helping entrepreneurs and business owners establish or move companies to the United States. Their attorneys specialize in business-immigration intersections, supporting entity registration, intra-company transfers, and investor visas alongside O-1 filings for founders and executives.
The firm provides personalized strategies that help businesses maintain offshore operations while creating legitimate U.S. entities eligible to sponsor employees. Their corporate structuring support ensures founders remain compliant with both tax and immigration laws while leveraging O-1 or L-1A categories depending on operational setup.
For founder-led startups, Davies & Associates’ value lies in aligning immigration goals with corporate governance—ensuring your O-1 petition supports your leadership position within the company’s new U.S. framework.
VisaNation offers a modern, technology-driven approach to U.S. immigration, specializing in work visas for startups and innovation-focused companies. Their online case platform simplifies O-1 filings for executives and technical employees through real-time tracking, digital evidence submission, and guided templates for reference letters.
VisaNation’s attorneys work directly with HR and global mobility teams to ensure that key team members meet O-1 benchmarks—such as published work, awards, or critical roles in successful projects. They also help companies coordinate relocation timelines with the USCIS petition process, minimizing downtime and ensuring that global operations remain uninterrupted during transition.
For tech startups and remote-first companies scaling into the U.S., VisaNation’s hybrid of technology and legal expertise offers both speed and transparency.
Relocating your headquarters to the U.S. doesn’t mean abandoning your existing operations. In fact, maintaining active foreign entities can strengthen your O-1 or L-1A visa case by showing an established international footprint. The key is to ensure compliance across three areas:
1. Legal Structure: Determine whether your U.S. entity will serve as a parent or subsidiary. The structure affects taxation, sponsorship rights, and eligibility for transferring employees.
2. Immigration Timing: Start O-1 or L-1 petitions early—before finalizing entity registration—so employees can transition smoothly once operations launch.
3. Documentation: Gather supporting materials that prove leadership, specialized knowledge, or extraordinary skill. This includes contracts, publications, awards, and verifiable business impact metrics.
Firms like Beyond Border Global and Fragomen streamline this coordination through integrated legal and mobility solutions, ensuring that your business move and visa filings proceed in sync.
Start early. Establish a timeline that aligns your company registration, fundraising, and immigration filing. Keep detailed records of international activities—like contracts, partnerships, and media mentions—that can strengthen O-1 eligibility.
If your expansion involves relocating employees across multiple jurisdictions, work with firms experienced in global compliance and immigration coordination. This ensures that tax liabilities, payroll, and operational reporting remain seamless across your global footprint.
Finally, treat immigration as an extension of corporate planning. A firm like Beyond Border Global can build a holistic roadmap that connects your legal entity setup, O-1 filings, and long-term U.S. growth strategy.
1. Can I move my headquarters to the U.S. without closing my foreign offices?
Yes. You can maintain global operations while forming a new U.S. entity. Many companies operate under a parent-subsidiary model for strategic and immigration flexibility.
2. Which visa works best for founders relocating to the U.S.?
The O-1 visa is ideal for founders with proven professional achievements, while the L-1A visa suits executives transferring from an established foreign company.
3. How early should I start planning my company relocation?
Ideally six to nine months before relocation, as both entity registration and immigration documentation can take several months.
4. Can my employees qualify for O-1 visas if they aren’t founders?
Yes, as long as they demonstrate exceptional ability in their field through awards, leadership, or other verifiable accomplishments.
5. Which firm offers the most complete relocation and O-1 strategy support?
Beyond Border Global leads in integrated HQ transition and visa strategy, balancing corporate structure, compliance, and employee eligibility for a smooth expansion into the U.S.
