I approached HR regarding the visa process and stated my salary expectation upfront. HR indicated they could match it.

I then proceeded through four rounds of interviews:

1. The first round was with the Director of the hiring team and a peer director in the US.
2. The second round was with local team members.
3. The third round was with the Chief Engineer in the US.
4. The fourth round was with a local peer director.

The interview process took two months. Immediately after the fourth round, HR called and said they would prepare an offer the next day. However, after eight working days with no further news, HR called again. She apologized, stating she had been sick and her computer had issues, causing her to forget my salary expectation. I reiterated my initial expectation.

A week later, HR emailed to inform me that the company could not match my compensation level.

Although I might not have accepted their offer even if they had matched my expectation, it appears they were sourcing candidates in parallel and found a cheaper option or a better fit. Whatever the reason, it is fair.

Work you've done beyond expectation.