If the U.S. branch receives no customer payments, does it affect my L-1?

If the U.S. branch is not receiving payments from customers, this does not automatically affect the L-1. The visa is grounded in the transfer of an employee between related entities and in the existence of a genuine operation, not in a specific revenue stream.

What immigration authorities look at is whether the corporate relationship between parent and branch remains intact and whether the U.S. company is carrying out legitimate business activity consistent with what was presented in the petition. Customer revenue is just one of the possible indicators of that activity, not a standalone requirement.

That said, a branch with no activity at all may raise questions about its viability. In those cases, it helps to demonstrate that the business remains active through other means:

• Capital contributions and investments from the parent company into the operation.
• Contracts, expenses, and planning that show ongoing activity.
• Organizational structure and roles that are genuinely being performed.

Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth keeping organized documentation and checking updated requirements with USCIS or with a specialist before making decisions that could affect your status.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.