dismissed
L-1A
dismissed L-1A Case: Construction
Decision Summary
The appeal was dismissed because the petitioner failed to establish it had secured sufficient physical premises for its new office at the time of filing. Although the AAO found the petitioner did establish a qualifying relationship, it agreed with the Director that a lease amended after the petition was filed could not retroactively establish eligibility.
Criteria Discussed
Qualifying Relationship Sufficient Physical Premises Employment Abroad In Executive Capacity Ability To Support Executive Position
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services MATTER OF G-V-T-&G- CORP. APPEAL OF VERMONT SERVICE CENTER DECISION Non-Precedent Decision of the Administrative Appeals Office DATE: FEB. 28, 2018 PETITION: FORM I-129, PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER The Petitioner, identified as a construction and remodeling company, seeks to temporarily employ the Beneficiary as president of its new office 1 under the L-lA nonimmigrant classification for intracompany transferees. See Immigration and Nationality Act (the Act) section 101(a)(15)(L), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(L). The L-lA classification allows a corporation or other legal entity (including its affiliate or subsidiary) to transfer a qualifying foreign employee to the United States to work temporarily in a managerial or executive capacity. The Director of the Vermont Service Center denied the petition, concluding that the record did not establish, as required, that: (1) the Petitioner has a qualifying relationship with the Beneficiary's foreign employer; (2) the new office has secured sufficient physical premises; (3) the Beneficiary has been employed abroad in an executive capacity; and (4) the new office will be able to support an executive position within one year after approval of the petition. The matter is now before us on appeal. In its appeal, the Petitioner submits additional evidence and a brief that, for the most part, repeats assertions previously submitted in response to a request for evidence (RFE). Upon de novo review, we will dismiss the appeal. I. LEGAL FRAMEWORK To establish eligibility for the L-1 A nonimmigrant visa classification, a qualifying organization must have employed the beneficiary "in a capacity that is managerial, executive, or involves specialized knowledge," for one continuous year "within three years preceding the [beneficiary's] application for admission into the United States." Section 101(a)(15)(L) ofthe Act. In addition, the beneficiary must seek to enter the United States temporarily to continue rendering his or her services to the same employer or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof in a managerial or executive capacity. !d. The 1 The term "new office" refers to an organization which has been doing business in the United States for less than one year. 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(l)(ii)(F). The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(3)(v)(C) allows a "new office" operation no more than one year within the date of approval of the petition to support an executive or managerial position. . Matter of G- V- T-&G- Corp. pet1t1oner must also establish that the beneficiary's prior education, trammg, and employment qualify him or her to perform the intended services in the United States. 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(3). Also, if the Form 1-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, indicates that the beneficiary is coming to the United States in L-1 A status to open or to be employed in a new office, the petitioner must submit evidence to demonstrate that the new office will be able to support a managerial or executive position within one year. This evidence includes information regarding the new office's physical premises, the proposed nature and scope of the entity, its organizational structure, its financial goals, and the size ofthe U.S. investment. See generally, 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(3)(v). II. QUALIFYING RELATIONSHIP The Director found that the Petitioner did not establish that it has a qualifying relationship with the Beneficiary's foreign employer. To establish a "qualifying relationship" under the Act and the regulations, a petitioner must show that the beneficiary's foreign employer and the proposed U.S. employer are the same employer (i.e. one entity with "branch" offices), or related as a "parent and subsidiary" or as "affiliates." See generally section 101(a)(15)(L) of the Act; 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1). Ownership and control are the factors that must be examined in determining whether a qualifying relationship exists behveen United States and foreign entities for purposes of this visa classification. See Jovfatter of Church Scientology Int '1, 19 I&N Dec. 593 (BIA 1988); see also A1atter of Siemens Med Sys., Inc., 19 I&N Dec. 362 (BIA 1986); A1atter of Hughes, 18 I&N Dec. 289 (Comm'r 1982). The Petitioner stated that the Beneficiary's foreign employer, owns 90% of the petitioning entity. Meeting minutes from April 2017 indicated that held 90% of the Petitioner's shares while one mvned the other 10%. Information on a May 2017 printout from the Connecticut Secretary of the State is consistent with these figures. The Petitioner's July 2016 certificate of incorporation listed the "Total Number of Authorized Shares" at 100. Other initial evidence, however, is not consistent with the above information. Meeting minutes from July 2016 indicated that the Petitioner issued 1000 shares, all to The Petitioner's 2016 federal tax return showed an incorporation date of January 2015 and indicated that no foreign person owned at least 25% ofthe company. In the RFE, the Director asked the Petitioner to explain these discrepancies, and to submit additional verifiable documentation to resolve the issue. In response, the Petitioner stated that the references to 1000 shares, and to total ownership, were in error, and related to a company that the Beneficiary had previously, and unsuccessfully, attempted to launch in Florida in early 2015. The Petitioner submitted documentation relating to the now-inactive Florida company that shares the Petitioner's name. 2 . Matter of G- V- T-&G- Corp. The Petitioner also submitted a new copy of the July 2016 meeting minutes to reflect the issuance of 1 00 shares to and an amended 2016 tax return showing 90% interest in the company. (The amended return continued to show the January 2015 incorporation date, and to refer to the company's activity as landscaping.) In the denial notice, the Director concluded that the Petitioner had not resolved the discrepancies regarding the company's ownership. Instead , the Director found that the Petitioner had simply altered and backdated key documents. The Director cited Matter of Izummi, 22 I&N Dec. 169 (Comm'r 1998), which states that a petitioner may not make material changes to a petition that has already been filed in an effort to make an apparently deficient petition conform to USCIS requirements. !d. at 175. Jzummi applies when a petitioner attempts to change the basic facts of the petition in order to create qualifying circumstances after the time of filing. In terms of the qualifying relationship, the Petitioner has not made changes of this kind, such as issuing new shares or selling or buying those shares in order to create a qualifying relationship that did not exist at the time of filing. Instead , the Petitioner has endeavored to provide corrected versions of documents which, in their original form, contained inaccurate information. A petitioner's reliance on altered and backdated documents, such as meeting minutes dated July 2016 but clearly prepared more than a year later, can raise serious questions depending on the circumstances of their submission. In this instance, while the submission of these documents may have been misguided , we see no intent to deceive. The Petitioner identified the alterations and explained the purpose behind them. Documentation of the abandoned Florida corporation provided important background information to explain the misstatements in the earlier documents. On balance , we find that the Petitioner has established , by a preponderance of the evidence , that it is a subsidiary of and that a qualifying relationship therefore exists between the two entities. We withdraw the Director's finding to the contrary. Ill. SUFFICIENT PHYSICAL PREMISES The Director found that the Petitioner did not meet the physical premises requirement at 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(3)(v)(A), for two reasons: (1) the lease agreement at the time of filing did not account for the planned subordinate employees or construction equipment, and subsequent changes to the lease cannot retroactively establish eligibilit y; and (2) perceived discrepancies in the evidence. We disagree about the discrepancies, but find that the Director was correct about the insufficiency of the premises secured. A. Lease Agreement The Petitioner leased an office in Connecticut. In the RFE, the Director asked the Petitioner to establish that the leased space is sufficient to house the new office. In response, the 3 Matter of G- V- T-&G- Corp. Petitioner stated that "the oral part of the agreement" gave the Petitioner the option to lease additional outdoor space. Contrary to the Petitioner's assertions, clause 25 of both versions of the lease specified that the "agreement cannot be changed orally." An updated lease gave the Petitioner the option to pay extra for outdoor space, but this provision was not in effect at the time of filing, and the rental rate for the exterior space would substantially exceed what the Petitioner had budgeted in its business plan. In the denial notice, the Director again cited Izummi, stating that the Petitioner could not establish eligibility by amending the lease after filing the petition. Here, we agree with the Director. The Petitioner was not correcting a previous error or clarifying an ambiguous point. Instead, the Petitioner submitted a materially different version of the office lease, showing provisions that were not yet in effect at the time of filing. A petitioner must establish eligibility at the time of filing the petition. See 8 C.F.R. § 103.2(b)(l). A visa petition may not be approved at a future date after a petitioner or beneficiary becomes eligible under a new set of facts. See Matter of Michelin Tire Corp., 17 I&N Dec. 248, 249 (Reg'l Comm'r 1978). Apart from the changes to the lease, the Petitioner has stated its intent to employ up to 18 people during its first year. The Petitioner did not explain how the office, containing identifiable work space for five people, could accommodate a staff of that size. For the above reasons, we agree with the Director's finding that the Petitioner has not established that, as of the petition's filing date, the Petitioner had secured sufficient physical premises to house the new office. We note that, on appeal, the Petitioner asserts that it remains at the site named in the lease, but on the appeal form and related forms, the Petitioner has listed a different mailing address, located in a residential area. The Petitioner does not explain why it no longer claims its office site as its mailing address. B. Discrepancies The Director found that the lease and related evidence lacked credibility because of several discrepancies. The lease agreement contained confusing wording about the property ownership. The Petitioner provided inconsistent information regarding the size of the office. Finally, the Director determined that photographs of the site "appear[] to be digitally altered." Upon review of the record, we withdraw the Director's findings. The record satisfactorily links the various companies named on the lease. Regarding the size of the office, the Petitioner stated 360 square feet, while the revised lease specified 350 square feet. The cited discrepancy in the size of the office is minimal and may be a typographical error. An exterior photograph of the commercial site shows a sign holding individual panels, each identifying several tenants, including the Petitioner. The Director concluded that the sign "is 4 . Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Corp. inconsistent with the photograph and appears to be digitally altered." The Director did not elaborate on this point. On the photographed sign, the panel with the Petitioner's name does not match the others , but this appears to be because a new panel was affixed to an older sign. There are no readily identifiable signs of digital alteration. For the reasons explained above, we withdraw the Director's finding that there are major discrepancies in the office lease and photographs. Nevertheless, the core finding remains that the Petitioner has not established that it secured adequate physical premises to house the new office as of the filing date. IV. EMPLOYMENT ABROAD IN AN EXECUTIVE CAPACITY The Director found that the Petitioner did not establish that the foreign entity employed the Beneficiary abroad in an executive capacity. The Petitioner does not claim that the Beneficiary has been employed in a managerial capacity. On appeal , the Petitioner maintains that the Beneficiary was an executive for the foreign entity, but offers no new information or evidence to support the assertion. An executive capacity is an assignment within an organization in which the employee primarily directs the management of the organization or a major component or function of the organization; establishes the goals and policies of the organization, component, or function; exercises wide latitude in discretionary decision-making; and receives only general supervision or direction from higher-level executives, the board of directors, or stockholders of the organization. Section 101(a)(44)(B) ofthe Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(44)(B). A. Duties When examining the claimed executive capacity of the Beneficiary, we will review the Petitioner 's description of the Beneficiary's job duties. The Petitioner's description of the job duties must clearly describe the Beneficiary ' s duties and indicate whether such duties are in a managerial or executive capacity. See 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(3)(ii). The definition of executive capacity has two parts. First, the Petitioner must show that the Beneficiary will perform certain high-level responsibilities. Champion World, Inc. v. INS, 940 F.2d 1533 (9th Cir. 1991) (unpublished table decision). Second , the Petitioner must prove that the Beneficiary was primarily engaged in executive duties , as opposed to ordinary operational activities alongside the Petitioner's other employees. See Family Inc. v. USCIS, 469 F.3d 1313, 1316 (9th Cir. 2006) ; Champion World, 940 F.2d 1533. The Petitioner stated that the Beneficiary had served as president and executive director (different materials show different titles). The Beneficiary listed his responsibilities at the foreign company: 5 . Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Corp. Main duties and responsibilities . . . at include but are not limited to being the spokesman for the corporat[ion]; I have handled and continue to handle the majority of correspondence with business partners and third part[y] vendors in the name of the corporat[ion]; participate in developing and improving the strategic plan for the corporat[ion]; determine staffing recruitments and timelines of product deliveries; ensure that the operation of the corporat[ion] meets the expectations of our clients; oversee the planning, implementation, execution and evaluation of special projects; and, work with management and staff to prepare a comprehensive budget. Asked to provide more details, the Petitioner asserted that the Beneficiary has performed "full executive duties" for the foreign parent company and related foreign entities since 2010. The Petitioner stated that the Beneficiary "has not supervised nor been hands on in the process of work," but rather "has run his business by hiring two main directors, who manage and supervise their side of the work; the Administrative Director and the Operational Director." We will discuss subordinate staffing below. The Petitioner stated that the Beneficiary has set up the foreign company in a way that allows him to run it without being physically present, but the Petitioner did not provide additional details regarding the Beneficiary ' s duties and responsibilities with Instead, the Petitioner provided a list of general responsibilities and the approximate time devoted to each: Managing the corporation- Approximately 15-25% Establishing company's goals and policies- Approximately 10-15% Exercising of discretionary decision-making- Approximately 10-20% Branding , Pricing , etc. - Approximately 5-10% Budgeting - Approximately 5% Personnel decision-making- Approximately 5% Goals and Objectives/Management Support- Approximately 5% Company representation -Approximately 20% Strategic planning - Approximately 20% The above list introduced no new details into the record. The Petitioner did not explain the difference between "[m]anaging the corporation" and "discretionary decision-making." The Petitioner submitted letters from two individuals who identified themselves as legal representatives for the Beneficiary and for One stated that the Beneficiary "exercises full discretion on his decision making" and "directs [the foreign entity] on almost all of its management needs. " The other provided the following list of duties and responsibilities: Leadership • Acts as a spokesperson for the [foreign entity]. • Conducts official correspondence on behalf of the Company. • Participates in developing a vision and strategic plan for the Company. . Matter of G- V- T-&G- Corp. • Identifies, assesses , and informs the management of the internal and external issues that may affect the Company. • Acts as a professional advisor on all aspects of the Company's activities. • Fosters effective team work between management and the staff. • Represents the company at conventions or seminars to enhance the Company ' s profile. Human Resources • Determines staffing requirements for company management. • Oversees the implementation of the human resources policies and procedures, including development of job description for all staff. • Recruits , interviews, and selects staff that has the right technical and personal abilities to help further the Company's mission. • Coaches and mentors staff as appropriate to improve performance. Operational Planning and Management • Has developed an[] operational plan which incorporates all [the] business's goals and objectives. • Ensures that the operation of the Company meets the expectations of its clients. • Oversees the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the Company. • Provides support to the management team by preparing meeting agenda and supporting materials . • Oversees the planning, implementation, execution and evaluation of special projects. Financial Planning and Management • Works with management and staff to prepare a comprehensive budget. • Works with managements to secure adequate funding for the operation of the Company . • Approves expenditures within the authority of the President of the Company. • Ensures that sound bookkeeping and accounting practices are followed. • Administers the funds of the Company according to the approved budget. • Monitors the monthly cash flow of the Company. The duties described appear to be vague and generic. Many of the listed items show responsibilities without explaining what the Beneficiary does to meet those responsibilities. Specific identified tasks, such as preparing meeting agendas and interviewing job applicants, do not appear to account for a large proportion of the Beneficiary's time at Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Cmp. The Director denied the petitiOn, stating that the Petitioner had not sufficiently described the Beneficiary's position abroad. On appeal, the Petitioner repeats the assertion that the Beneficiary "continues to maintain his executive position abroad," and resubmits the list of general responsibilities, with time percentages, reproduced above. We agree with the Director's finding. Reciting vague job responsibilities or broadly-cast business objectives is not sufficient; the regulations require a detailed description of the Beneficiary's daily job duties. The actual duties themselves will reveal the true nature of the employment. Fedin Bros. Co .. Ltd. v. Sava, 724 F. Supp. 1103, 1108 (E.D.N.Y. 1989), aff'd, 905 F.2d 41 (2d. Cir. 1990). B. Staffing Beyond the required description of the job duties, USCIS reviews the totality of the record when examining a beneficiary's claimed executive capacity, including the company's organizational structure, the duties of a beneficiary's subordinate employees, the presence of other employees to relieve a beneficiary from performing operational duties, the nature of the business, and any other factors that will contribute to understanding a beneficiary's actual duties and role in a business. An organizational chart indicated that two individuals reported directly to the Beneficiary: an administrative manager, who supervised two administrative assistants and an occupational safety technician; and an operational supervisor, who supervised 41 employees: • Electrical Department - 3 employees • Cargo Ship Department- 3 employees • Grounding Department - 5 employees • 11 Tree Installers • 3 Drivers • 7 Tree Trimmers • 2 Gardeners • 4 Chainsaw Operators • I Machine Operator • 1 Maintenance Worker • 1 Bricklayer Payroll documents from November 2017 named 41 employees. Photographs depicted \Vork crews and the foreign entity's place of business, but apart from job titles, the Petitioner did not provide details about the subordinates' duties. The Director advised the Petitioner that it had not provided enough details about the claimed subordinate positions. In response, the Petitioner stated: [T]he administrative director manages tax filing; employees' benefits; employees' payroll and salary payments; handles invoices; labor cost and payments; government 8 . Matter of G- V- T-&G- Corp. compliance requests , timely filing and responses. He handles all of the required inside the company management work .... [The operational director] supervises and handles all of the outside management of the work performed. As the operational manager , he works closely with the employees working in the streets and power lines ; with the implementation of all projects .... In the denial notice, the Director found that the Petitioner had not provided enough information about the subordinate positions to show that they relieved the Beneficiary from having to perform primarily non-executive tasks. On appeal, the Petitioner asserts that the Beneficiary "continues to run his foreign entity the same way he has directed it during the previous decade, through continuous contact , updates and advise [sic] to his immediate staff." The Petitioner has documented that has about 40 employees, but has not addressed the Director's finding that the record lacks important information to show that those employees permitted the Beneficiary to perform primarily executive tasks while employed abroad. The record establishes that the Beneficiary held the top position at but the Petitioner has not provided enough details to establish that this position was primarily executive as the statute and regulations define that term. V. NEW OFFICE A petitioner seeking to employ a beneficiary as a manager or executive of a new office must establish that the new office will support an executive or managerial position within one year of approval of the petition. The Petitioner must establish the proposed nature of the office, describing its scope , organizational structure, and financial goals; the size of the United States investment and the foreign entity's financial ability to remunerate the beneficiary and to commence doing business in the United States; and the foreign entity's organizational structure. 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(1)(3)(v)(C) . The Director found that the Petitioner had not established that the new office would support an executive position within one year after approval of the petition. (The Petitioner does not claim that it seeks to employ the Beneficiary in a managerial capacity.) The Director based this finding on the Petitioner's description of the Beneficiary's intended position, and on the financial information the Petitioner had provided. On appeal , the Petitioner repeats prior statements and provides additional financial documentation. The new materials , however , do not overcome the Director's conclusions . A. U.S. Employment in an Executive Capacity The Beneficiary listed his intended duties as president of the petitioning entity: [C]onducting official correspondence on behalf of [the Petitioner]; creating a vision and strategic plan for the company; leading and representing [the Petitioner] at 9 . Matter of G- V- T-&G- Corp. conventions and seminars to enhance the company 's profile; acting as a professional advisor on all aspects of the company; determining staffing requirements for corporate management ; coaching and mentoring staff as appropriate to improve performance ; fostering effective team work between management and the staff; providing support to the management team by preparing meeting agenda and supporting materials; working with management to secure adequate funding for the operation of [the petitioning company]; and, approving expenditures within the authority of the President of the corporation. The Petitioner ' s business plan listed the following duties: • Expand plan for U.S. market ; • Branding plan for U.S. market; • Increases management's effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching , counseling, and disciplining managers ; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring , and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions ; providing educational opportunities ; • Develops strategic plan by studying technological and financial opportunities; presenting assumptions; recommending objectives; • Recommends company objectives by establishing plans, budgets , and results measurements; allocating resources; reviewing progress ; making mid-course corrections ; • Builds company image by collaborating with customers , government , community organizations, and employees; enforcing ethical business practices; • Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards. The above list of intended duties appears to be a general template rather than a considered account of duties specific to the particular position. As explained earlier in this decision, the Petitioner cannot meet its burden of proof without providing sufficient specific details about the nature of the position . The Director requested additional information to show that the Beneficiary would serve in an executive capacity in the United States. In response , the Petitioner stated that, although he is now in the United States, the Beneficiary "continues to maintain his executive position abroad." The Petitioner described the Beneficiary's duties as a claimed executive of the foreign company . The Director denied the petition, in part because the Petitioner had not provided enough specific details about the Beneficiary's intended executive position in the United States. On appeal, the Petitioner provides no new information about the Beneficiary 's intended role with the U.S. company. Instead, the Petitioner repeats the assertion that the Beneficiary remains an executive of · in Brazil. 10 . Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Corp. If workers abroad actively provide operational support to the petitiOning U.S. entity, then a beneficiary's continued authority over those workers can be a factor in the Petitioner's favor. See Matter of Z-A-, Inc., Adopted Decision 2016-02 6 (AAO Apr. 14, 20 16). Here, however , the Petitioner has not established any connection between ongoing activities in Brazil and the Petitioner's intended activities in the United States. The record does not show that the two companies are parts of a unified business operation, despite doing business in two different countries; neither performs support functions for the other. Instead, each appears to be a self contained enterprise, linked to the other company only by shared ownership. The Beneficiary may intend to continue to oversee the foreign company while he is in the United States, but remotely running a company in Brazil does not amount to setting up a new office in the United States, and is not a valid basis for L-1 A nonimmigrant status. B. Nature of the Business Beyond the issues with the job description, the Director found that the Petitioner had not established that its business would be sufficiently developed to support an executive position within one year after approval ofthe petition. We note that, although the Petitioner's business plan repeatedly and consistently identifies the company as a construction firm, the Petitioner's income tax returns (including an amended return filed after the Director noted discrepancies) refer to the Petitioner as a landscaping company. A certificate of trade name filed with the Town Clerk identified the "[t]ype of business" as "construction & tree services." The Petitioner's business plan anticipated the hiring of two gardeners , but no other workers whose job titles readily relate to tree services. In contrast , the foreign entity, identified as a landscaping service, employs 11 "tree installers ," 7 tree trimmers, 2 gardeners, and 4 chainsaw operators. The Petitioner stated: "As of May 9, 2017 we were approved for 'New Home Constructor Contractor' license from the State of Connecticut." The Petitioner submitted an invoice dated May 9, 2017, from State of Connecticut Online Enterprise Licensing Site. This invoice, however , showed only that the Petitioner had applied for a contractor's license. A disclaimer on the invoice advised: "This receipt is not a license or an authorization to do business." The Petitioner did not establish that the application was approved, or that, if approved , the license remains active. The Petitioner copied several pages of its business plan, with attribution, from various websites, including sites operated by local competitors and business news sites. Other information came from no identified source, such as the assertion that "[t]he area is booming at this moment, with overall business growth for the past seven years averaging approximately 9.5%. This growth level is expected to continue for at least the next four years." If the Petitioner 's optimistic revenue forecasts rely on these figures, then it is important that the Petitioner identify their source. If this information came from a generic template or other source not specific to "[t]he area," then its accuracy and applicability are questionable. 1 I . Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Corp. With this in mind, we note that the business plan contains several passages that state or imply that the company has been doing business for some time, even though the company had not yet begun operations as of the date on the business plan (April 20 17). Language in the business plan indicated that the Petitioner "will change its focus," and that the "business plan ... renews our vision and strategic focus." The business plan also referred to the company's "continued success." It appears that the Petitioner copied parts of its business plan from one or more sources, and inserted or substituted specific references to the petitioning company and to the area. The business plan stated that the Petitioner "is focusing on both the commercial and residential markets of the state of Connecticut and surrounding areas," and that its "business model will expand to include other types of real estate investing activities ... within 12 months of starting the business. . . . As of now, our plan is to continue to focus on remodeling as our primary area of expertise and source of revenue for at least 24 months. " Evidence in the record is not consistent with these claims. After a request for evidence , and again on appeal, the Petitioner has submitted documentation showing that the company has purchased several houses and commercial properties in Connecticut , Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, and had begun doing so before the filing date. The Petitioner stated that it purchased the properties "with the intent to renovate and re-sell them for a higher value." Nevertheless, the Petitioner's financial projections did not include these purchases. Documentation in the record shows that the Petitioner purchased a house in Ohio, on May 19, 2017 (the same day it filed the petition), and leased the house to a tenant a week later. There is no evidence that the Petitioner renovated the house during that week, or had time to do so. The Petitioner does not explain how these purchases fit into the Petitioner 's stated intention to remodel homes "in the area" and "focus[] on . . . the state of Connecticut and surrounding areas" and thus become "the area's experts in remodeling and construction properties" as stated in the business plan; 10 of the 13 purchased properties are 500 or more miles west of The Petitioner did not submit any evidence that it holds, or has applied for, licenses to perform renovations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, and the financial projections in the business plan do not show allocations to pay for those renovations. The Petitioner's documented activities are substantially different from those described in the business plan, which is itself of indeterminate origin. Therefore , the Petitioner has provided inconsistent evidence concerning what the intended business actually is. The business plan lists several milestones for April and May, before or near the time of filing, but no evidence that it has achieved those milestones. The inconsistencies in the record raise further obstacles to a finding that the Petitioner will support an executive position within one year of approval of the petition. C. Financial Infonnation The Petitioner anticipated $888,600 in first-year operating expenses, with net losses projected for the first seven months of operations. The Petitioner did not claim any assets on its 2016 income tax 12 . Maller of G- V-T-&G- Corp. return. The Director advised the Petitioner that the initial evidence did not establish sufficient financial support for the ne\v office. In response, the Petitioner submitted bank documents showing that the Petitioner received $1 84,844 in wire transfers from between April and June 2017. The Petitioner also made several round-number withdrawals during this period. As a result, the Petitioner's business investment account balance was $215 on May 31, 2017. In May and June 2017, the Petitioner transferred nearly $80,000 into an account with We add that the Petitioner's projections of its operating expenses for the first five years do not appear to include the cost of construction equipment, and the Petitioner has not shown that it already owns that equipment. The Director found that the Petitioner had not corroborated the financial projections found in the business plan or provided sufficient evidence to show that the foreign company provides sufficient support for the company. On appeal, the Petitioner maintains that it "has been financially supported by the foreign entity, ' The Petitioner documents one further wire transfer from in the amount of $84 72. The Petitioner also submits bank statements from The largest debits from the bank account appear to be the wire transfers to the Petitioner, meaning that existing support of the Petitioner has been a significant drain on its assets. The documents show a balance of R$17.59 (US$5.45) as of the petition's filing date. The most recent balance, from July 27, 2017, was R$50,213.20 (US$15 ,557.44). As noted above, the Petitioner has been purchasing real estate in several states. On appeal, the Petitioner documents two additional purchases. The down payments documented in the record add up to $112,900, consuming most of the documented capital infusions from The Petitioner has not shown that what remains is sufficient to meet its operational expenses until the company becomes profitable in its own right. Furthermore, the total value of the purchased properties exceeds $2 million; the Petitioner remains liable for the balance not already paid. The resulting debt is a major additional expense that the business plan did not take into account. has been providing some capital to the petitioning entity, but the record does not show that the provided amount is enough to meet the Petitioner's claimed needs plus its documented real estate expenses. For the above reasons, we find that the Petitioner has not provided credible and consistent information and evidence to show that the new office will support an executive position within one year after approval of the petition. \3 Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Corp. VI. CONCLUSION The Petitioner has not established that it has secured sufficient physical premises to house the new office, that the :Beneficiary has been employed abroad in an executive capacity, or that its new office will support the Beneficiary in an executive capacity within one year after approval of the petition. ORDER: The appeal is dismissed. Cite as Matter ofG-V-T-&G- Corp., ID# 1017303 (AAO Feb. 28, 2018) 14
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