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Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

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Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#31

Post by olliesaunders »

craigbellot wrote: post #22
nostrademons wrote: post #14

Marry an American, get citizenship, then go found your startup. And never, ever think you're too old. Your situation sounds a lot like my dad's. He came here after college, finished his Ph.D in the U.S, then got screwed over in every industrial position he took. The immigration situation sucks in this country. You need a company to sponsor you, but the company realizes that you have zero leverage as a foreigner, and…

The only thing worse than a company that knows you have no leverage is a wife that knows you have no leverage.

There's this thing called love, you might have heard of it.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#32

Post by phreanix »

Might I ask what is taking up most of your time getting your concept to fruit?

Is it the programming? Marketing?

It's been said here so much it might as well be on a stone tablet: 30 isn't too old, but I totally understand that such a milestone can put irrational pressures on someone. Trust me, I know.

As for your other dilemma, your fear that others might catch on to your idea and beat you to the punch.

No one can guarantee a surefire hit. Lord knows there's been a ton of those that ended up being total duds. Consider this though, an idea that's sat on is an idea that's wasted. Don't let the threat of competition scare you off. If you've got a great idea, it will remain great even if others are doing it, and if yours is better, people will come to you.

I've sat on a few ideas of my own for lack of time and technical help, only see other people start their own version of it or another. I think mine's still better, but seeing others attempt it gave me a bit more confidence in the viability of the idea, and a kick in the butt that I gotta get moving. Don't be afraid to find the right people to work with, sometimes it's a trial and error thing, but don't quit.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#33

Post by nostrademons »

ichverstehe wrote: post #27
nostrademons wrote: post #14

Marry an American, get citizenship, then go found your startup. And never, ever think you're too old. Your situation sounds a lot like my dad's. He came here after college, finished his Ph.D in the U.S, then got screwed over in every industrial position he took. The immigration situation sucks in this country. You need a company to sponsor you, but the company realizes that you have zero leverage as a foreigner, and…

You read the part where he said he has lived in the U.S. for 8+ years, right?

By itself, that doesn't say much. My dad lived in the U.S. for 50 years and still wasn't culturally American when he died. I was born here and still don't understand much of it close to 30 years later.

You're right, though, in that I shouldn't assume that he doesn't understand American culture - there's just no information either way. So if he does, it basically amounts to waiting until he can get his green card (or better yet, citizenship). I still think he's better off broadening out socially than concentrating on the technical aspects - after all, one of the complaints with the post was that he couldn't find a cofounder that he clicked with.

And yes, marriage is still probably the fastest way to citizenship, all the caveats about doing it for love and not for papers still applying.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#35

Post by georgecmu »

abstractbill wrote: post #15
maxdemarzi wrote: post #2

H1-B Transfer to your startup? http://www.askthevc.com/blog/archives/2008/04/does-having-a-... See one of the comments: "I have a lot of experience with this, having done it several times myself. Proving the company is 'real' to the USCIS can be tricky, because they don't consider companies with cash but no revenue to be viable. Luckily it never usually gets to that stage of analysis for a simple H1B (although green…

This can be done, but it's not a long-term solution and honestly I wouldn't recommend it. H1B visas are granted for three years, and you can renew once . That gives you a total of six years after which you have to go home - no matter how well your startup is doing at that point. I've never heard of anyone doing the above and managing to keep their Green Card application going. I'm not sure it's actually possible. In…

> H1B visas are granted for three years, and you can renew once.

Not exactly. They can be renewed past the second term indefinitely, as long as an immigration application (I-140/I-485) has been filed with USCIS and is under review -- can be a long process.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#36

Post by psranga »

craigbellot wrote: post #22
nostrademons wrote: post #14

Marry an American, get citizenship, then go found your startup. And never, ever think you're too old. Your situation sounds a lot like my dad's. He came here after college, finished his Ph.D in the U.S, then got screwed over in every industrial position he took. The immigration situation sucks in this country. You need a company to sponsor you, but the company realizes that you have zero leverage as a foreigner, and…

The only thing worse than a company that knows you have no leverage is a wife that knows you have no leverage.

Huh? I think you and the upmodders do not realize that once the spouse gets the marriage-based green card, it doesn't get revoked in a divorce. AFAIK and IANAL.

Unless there is some other point to this comment that is going WAY above my head.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#38

Post by ichverstehe »

nostrademons wrote: post #33
ichverstehe wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You read the part where he said he has lived in the U.S. for 8+ years, right?

By itself, that doesn't say much. My dad lived in the U.S. for 50 years and still wasn't culturally American when he died. I was born here and still don't understand much of it close to 30 years later. You're right, though, in that I shouldn't assume that he doesn't understand American culture - there's just no information either way. So if he does, it basically amounts to waiting until he can get his green card (or…

Finding a cofounder that you 'click' with is damn difficult no matter where you are.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#39

Post by cookiecaper »

edw519 wrote: post #4

Five minutes after winning the presidential election of 1904, Teddy Roosevelt vowed not to seek re-election in 1908. Six minutes after, he regretted what he had just said. He tried to return in 1912, but failed and regretted his hasty decision the rest of his life. Why do I mention this? Because whenever I feel like I'm in a difficult situation (not all that much different from yours), I promise myself not to pull a…

Most of this advice is fine, but the working from home and using spare time on your project is dubious. I'm sure the OP isn't advocating working on your own project on company time, but you need to avoid even the appearance that you may be doing so. Just be very careful with it; the last thing you want to worry about it is IP disputes or lawsuits.

Re: Ask HN: I feel my dream slipping away

#40

Post by abstractbill »

georgecmu wrote: post #35
abstractbill wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This can be done, but it's not a long-term solution and honestly I wouldn't recommend it. H1B visas are granted for three years, and you can renew once . That gives you a total of six years after which you have to go home - no matter how well your startup is doing at that point. I've never heard of anyone doing the above and managing to keep their Green Card application going. I'm not sure it's actually possible. In…

> H1B visas are granted for three years, and you can renew once. Not exactly. They can be renewed past the second term indefinitely, as long as an immigration application (I-140/I-485) has been filed with USCIS and is under review -- can be a long process.

Right, yes that's true, but if you submit an immigration application while you're at a large company, and then do your own startup and transfer the H1B, I'm pretty sure you will have to give up on the immigration application. I've heard of people starting companies and transferring H1Bs, but never of anyone who has done that and managed to keep an immigration application going.
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