I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

Hi Peter,

I am currently on f1 visa. I was declined for H1B visa by my company in 2015 so I went back to f1. I am currently going to school but I don't want to continue anymore since I want to work and get new experiences.

Can you give me advice on how can I overcome this challenge and make my greencard?

Thank You

No apology necessary. We made a conscious choice for that not to be so obvious.

I've fallen behind a bit on emails but will send an intro soon.

Hi Peter! I am so glad I found this thread.

I have been in the U.S. uninterrupted since 2002 and would like to figure out what my chances are for an EB-1 (or EB-2) green card. I was first on an F-1 while at Wharton getting my MBA, then on a G4 working for the World Bank, then sponsored on three different H1-Bs (2 corporate and one research think tank, and finally since 2012 on an E-2.

So I have been the U.S 14+ years, educated at a top school, paid taxes in the highest tax bracket, own two properties here,and started a business that has provided employment to 6 part-time American workers. Additionally my business is in career coaching and job search- and so I have helped over 400+ Americans find employment, including for the State Dept, DoD, and the U.S. Foreign Service.

I am trying to explore paths to a Green Card.. thank you in advance for your reply!

Wow, this was an awesome AMA. Peter it is super generous of you to share your expertise in a very opaque and confusing area of the law. On the topic of O-1 and EB-1A extraordinary ability, there IS a misconception that this category is too challenging for most people to consider as a visa option.

In fact, for entrepreneurial folks who are resourceful and achievement-oriented, "extraordinary ability" can be a great choice. The critical factors are

(1) understanding what the adjudicator's looking for,

(2) supplying organized, well-presented, high-quality evidence in 3 or more of the specific categories, and

(3) creating an interesting, easy-to-understand "success narrative" that guides the adjudicator through your evidence.

These quotes from Peter in the threads below sum it up nicely.

"For those who have not won major awards, it's really a mix of media coverage, publications, awards, good work, etc.... It's very fact-specific and in the end it's a feeling that someone is very bright and doing interesting work.... Also really that the product being developed is interesting and grabs the attention of the adjudicator."

"It's really conveying - supported by evidence - what is really interesting and significant about the work and achievements of the applicant and conveying the applicant's passion. And most talented founders who are truly passionate about what they are doing have a good faith basis for proceeding with an O1."

* * *

I'm also an immigration attorney (licensed, non-practicing) with a specialty in extraordinary ability cases. If it's OK with Peter and the mods, I'd be happy to continue answering questions on topics relating to O-1 and EB-1A.

I'm also in the process of building a DIY course on compiling your own O-1 evidence package. I'm actively seeking beta testers to tell me their stories, provide feedback on the materials, and help me create a kick-ass program that really helps people.

The course wouldn't be a substitute for hiring a good lawyer (which I highly recommend). I envision it more as a resource you could use to understand the O-1 requirements thoroughly, and begin compiling a great evidence portfolio right away.

Does this sound like a thing that would be useful to people? Please contact me (info in profile) if you have comments or would like to help me beta test. Thanks so much.

I'll also reply to some existing questions below. IAAL, but standard disclaimer: This isn't legal advice, and it doesn't create an attorney-client relationship.