U.S. business immigration
Move your people into the United States
When a European company expands westward, the first question is practical: who can legally work in the U.S., under which status, and how fast. Privello builds the immigration strategy around your business plan — and coordinates it with the data-protection side of the same move.
Choosing a route
The right visa depends on the move, not the title
Most European companies entering the U.S. use one of a handful of routes. The best fit turns on ownership, treaty country, the role, and your timeline. Here is how they compare.
L-1 · Intracompany Transfer
Move executives, managers, or specialized-knowledge staff from your European entity to a related U.S. entity. A natural fit for opening a U.S. office.
L-1 detailsE-1 / E-2 · Treaty Visas
For nationals of treaty countries — including the Norway treaty — trading with or investing in the U.S. Renewable and well suited to founders and owners.
E-1/E-2 detailsO-1 · Extraordinary Ability
For individuals at the top of their field — founders, researchers, and senior technical talent with a strong record of recognition.
O-1 detailsH-1B · Specialty Occupation
For degree-level professional roles. Subject to the annual cap and lottery, so timing and alternatives matter.
H-1B detailsTN · USMCA
For Canadian and Mexican professionals on your team in designated occupations — fast and renewable where it applies.
TN detailsGreen Cards · EB-1/2/5
Permanent options for key people: multinational managers, advanced-degree professionals, extraordinary ability, and investment routes.
Green-card routesStanding up operations
Opening your first U.S. office?
The L-1 "new office" route lets a European company send an executive or manager to establish U.S. operations from the ground up — but it carries specific evidence and first-year expectations. Get the structure right before anyone files.
New U.S. office setup- Entity and ownership structure that supports the visa
- Realistic first-year staffing and premises evidence
- Sequencing the transfer with payroll and tax setup
- A plan for renewals and the move to permanent status
The connected move
Immigration and data, planned together
The moment you relocate staff, HR and operational data starts moving between Europe and the U.S. — which triggers GDPR transfer obligations on the same timeline as the visa. Privello plans both sides at once, so the data mechanism is ready when your people arrive.
See how transatlantic transfers fit in
Begin
Tell us who needs to be in the U.S., and when
Share the roles you're moving and your timeline. We'll outline the realistic visa options — and how they line up with your data-protection steps — in a first conversation.