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Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

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Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#11

Post by culopatin »

rhaway84773 wrote: post #6
tacostakohashi wrote: post #5

> there are barriers to entry into the US and maintaining the status Yes, that's the whole point!

The point is to have to wait so long to stamp an approved visa in your passport that your visa approval will expire before you can get it stamped and will need to get it reapproved before? So basically for years you cannot LEAVE the US because even though you have all the approvals, you cannot get an appointment? So much on their site whining about H1Bs simply have no clue what they’re talking about. Which is especia…

The point is that they always wanted to make it hard for people to get in because they believe they have enough people in here and they are all the talent they need. Letting people in is a privilege granted to a few special people, not the norm, and it’s fine if it’s hard and painful.

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#12

Post by culopatin »

Do you want a startup to give you some special privilege above everyone else trying to get in the country? What makes you think the people laid off the tech sector are the main group of people waiting for visas or even the main concern of the immigration office? If anything you were the most privileged and had an awesome opportunity.

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#13

Post by stormfly »

culopatin wrote: post #11
rhaway84773 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point is to have to wait so long to stamp an approved visa in your passport that your visa approval will expire before you can get it stamped and will need to get it reapproved before? So basically for years you cannot LEAVE the US because even though you have all the approvals, you cannot get an appointment? So much on their site whining about H1Bs simply have no clue what they’re talking about. Which is especia…

The point is that they always wanted to make it hard for people to get in because they believe they have enough people in here and they are all the talent they need. Letting people in is a privilege granted to a few special people, not the norm, and it’s fine if it’s hard and painful.

I think you need to learn to have some empathy. Nobody is asking for an easy way in. If you want to have a high bar for people who would be in US then make the application process clear and do not approve the visas. Better yet, if they believe they have enough people in here and they have all the talent they need, do not take the applications in the first place. But making them go through the entire process and approving their visas and then you tell them you don't know when they can have the appointment is plain cruel.

Set the standards high but not painful.

Also, I don't get the talk about privilege. US govt is letting people in because they are getting something out of it. On the other hand people are coming here because they are gaining something as well. Nobody is doing any charity work. It is a give and take on both sides.

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#14

Post by nicbou »

hideo wrote: post #10

Maybe I’m missing the point - all these issues are because of various governments’ policies. how could startups possibly address immigration policy problems? I can’t think of any way a startup could e.g. help someone waiting months for a visa appointment.

I help people with this in Germany.

Good information goes a long way, and the government is terrible at it. I just tell people what they have to do, which pitfalls to avoid, and how the process usually goes. That makes the whole thing a lot less stressful.

I'm slowly adding more tech to the problem. For instance, I'd love to build a residence permit picker that tells you exactly what your immigration options are. Again, this information is very hard to gather from official sources.

It's not a startup, just a website. Does that still fit?

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#15

Post by user_7832 »

culopatin wrote: post #11
rhaway84773 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point is to have to wait so long to stamp an approved visa in your passport that your visa approval will expire before you can get it stamped and will need to get it reapproved before? So basically for years you cannot LEAVE the US because even though you have all the approvals, you cannot get an appointment? So much on their site whining about H1Bs simply have no clue what they’re talking about. Which is especia…

The point is that they always wanted to make it hard for people to get in because they believe they have enough people in here and they are all the talent they need. Letting people in is a privilege granted to a few special people, not the norm, and it’s fine if it’s hard and painful.

> it’s fine if it’s hard and painful

That’s sadistic. Making visa requirements high(er)/stricter is one thing. Making the process painful shows your morality (or its absence, unfortunately) more than anything else.

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#16

Post by culopatin »

user_7832 wrote: post #15
culopatin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point is that they always wanted to make it hard for people to get in because they believe they have enough people in here and they are all the talent they need. Letting people in is a privilege granted to a few special people, not the norm, and it’s fine if it’s hard and painful.

> it’s fine if it’s hard and painful That’s sadistic. Making visa requirements high(er)/stricter is one thing. Making the process painful shows your morality (or its absence, unfortunately) more than anything else.

It’s fine for the office to keep it that way is what I mean. They have no incentive to change it. I agree it’s sadistic.

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#17

Post by culopatin »

stormfly wrote: post #13
culopatin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point is that they always wanted to make it hard for people to get in because they believe they have enough people in here and they are all the talent they need. Letting people in is a privilege granted to a few special people, not the norm, and it’s fine if it’s hard and painful.

I think you need to learn to have some empathy. Nobody is asking for an easy way in. If you want to have a high bar for people who would be in US then make the application process clear and do not approve the visas. Better yet, if they believe they have enough people in here and they have all the talent they need, do not take the applications in the first place. But making them go through the entire process and appro…

This is not my view of how it should be, this is my view of how it is today. I went through the process myself

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#18

Post by saradhi »

culopatin wrote: post #12

Do you want a startup to give you some special privilege above everyone else trying to get in the country? What makes you think the people laid off the tech sector are the main group of people waiting for visas or even the main concern of the immigration office? If anything you were the most privileged and had an awesome opportunity.

Why would you expect startup having special privileges. There are websites like

h1bdata.info which provides list of companies that sponsor H-1B visas along with the job titles and salary

checkvisaslots.com which informs about visa slot availability

visaholics.com a community that shares US visa experiences

boundless.com .. . ..

Re: Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

#19

Post by yellow_lead »

hideo wrote: post #10

Maybe I’m missing the point - all these issues are because of various governments’ policies. how could startups possibly address immigration policy problems? I can’t think of any way a startup could e.g. help someone waiting months for a visa appointment.

There is a big service sector around helping people immigrate to various countries (Law area). A startup could productize this.
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