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

#1

Post by proberts » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:04 PM UTC

I'll be here for the next 2.5 hours and then again at around 11:30 am PST for another 2.5 hours. As usual, there are lots of possible topics and I'll be guided by whatever you are concerned with. Please remember that I can't provide legal advice on specific cases for liability reasons because I won't have access to all the facts. Please stick to a factual discussion in your questions and comments and I'll try to do the same in my answers!

Previous threads we've done: https://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=proberts.

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

#2

Post by dkarp » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:13 PM UTC

Hi Peter, have you seen any change in immigration as a result of covid? What do you believe the long term impact may be?

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

#3

Post by vasili111 » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:17 PM UTC

Stay with b1b2 visa was extended by US government and total stay in US is 8 months. When person leaves to home country after how much time he can return to US with same visa?

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

#4

Post by ryanelfman » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:17 PM UTC

Do you forsee the government doing anything able slow wait times for Visa/green cards?

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

#5

Post by gordon_freeman » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:18 PM UTC

Asking for a friend - Is it possible to start a startup/side biz (while keep doing his full-time job)by an H1B visa holder with his wife if the wife is on H4 EAD?

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

#6

Post by eganist » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:18 PM UTC

Going by your post history, you tightened from "YC and Startups" to just "YC Startups" for most of 2021 before broadening back out again - what happened during that time?

(on a larger scale as best as you can tell, rather than just an uptick in personal business)

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

#7

Post by proberts » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:19 PM UTC

dkarp wrote: post #2

Hi Peter, have you seen any change in immigration as a result of covid? What do you believe the long term impact may be?

Really the main change has been at the consular level with the shutdown and reduced operations at US Consulates and unavailability of visa application appointments. But this finally seems to be changing. Regarding long-term impacts, I really don't see any other than possibly greater sensitivity to infection disease-related requirements - i.e., vaccinations and testing - for immigration benefits.

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

#8

Post by PeterisP » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:19 PM UTC

In general, if someone is in USA on a visa that does not allow employment (e.g. the F-1 student visa, or perhaps J-1 exchange programs), can they do things like job interviews with USA startups (or perhaps starting a startup company registered in USA) with the expectation that the actual job would be started later, when it's permitted e.g. remotely when back outside of USA ?

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

#9

Post by proberts » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:20 PM UTC

eganist wrote: post #6

Going by your post history, you tightened from "YC and Startups" to just "YC Startups" for most of 2021 before broadening back out again - what happened during that time? (on a larger scale as best as you can tell, rather than just an uptick in personal business)

Sorry! That's a typo which I will correct now. Good eye!

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

#10

Post by proberts » Fri, Nov 12, 2021, 4:22 PM UTC

PeterisP wrote: post #8

In general, if someone is in USA on a visa that does not allow employment (e.g. the F-1 student visa, or perhaps J-1 exchange programs), can they do things like job interviews with USA startups (or perhaps starting a startup company registered in USA) with the expectation that the actual job would be started later, when it's permitted e.g. remotely when back outside of USA ?

They absolutely can interview for jobs. Starting a company is more complicated because they can do some things but there's a limit and that limit is grey - other than not getting paid by their company which is absolutely prohibited.