Good afternoon. I will be stepping out now and returning this evening or tomorrow morning so please continue to send me your questions and comments and I will make sure to answer every one. Thank you! This has been great so far.
Thanks
I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
171–180 of 425 posts
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#172Hi, thanks for the AMA. I'm a non-resident non-citizen, I remotely manage and am a majority owner of a Florida LLC, who sells to US businesses, and has an offshore workforce. The advice I was given is that I can work remotely from outside the states, but when I travel for business purposes with a B1 visa, I can meet providers and clients to discuss contracts, but I can't perform onsite work NOR ONSITE WORK! So I have…
> I can't perform onsite work NOR ONSITE WORK
Do you mean off-site work within the US?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#173Have you felt there are a lot less requests for founders to fully immigrate into the US? Maybe given the increased simplicity in working remotely, the services and new mindset have genuinely reduce the importance of location (although it’s still important, just reduced).
I personally don’t feel the need/desire to immigrate into the US anymore. I used to be all over it. But since I sold my startup and relocated to Europe and I live an amazing life while working on my second startup. I wouldn’t live in the US even if I was invited (nothing personal, EU is just too good).
Anyways, is it all still the same or you feel a change in people’s interest.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#174What is your view on the E-2 visa for startup founders and likelihood of success (with an investment of ~50-100k for software business)?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#175Preamble: As I understand it, it is permissible for a European who works for a US company to visit the US as a "business visitor" on an ESTA in order to visit the company, as long as the visit is not for "work". Various sources list activities that are deemed to be "business" and not "work", such as attending business meetings or attending a trade show, and entering on an ESTA for these purposes is thus acceptable. Q…
That still would cross the line even if that wasn't your plan when you entered.
Could you expand on this? Where is the line? What's work and what's business?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#176Hi, I entered USA with H4 visa as spouse (my wife owns an H1B), I have Italian passport. I understood that I cannot work on US soil with an H4 visa, even if it is for a foreign company. Hence, I requested and obtained ESTA. Now, shall I go out of the country and re-enter or else there is a way I can change my status without exiting the country?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#177Thank you for doing this! Is it hypothetically possible to switch jobs after your employer has filed for your H1-B (but before receiving approval from USCIS)? I've heard differing opinions online. I'm currently on the F1. I can potentially work for a very early startup that I'm excited by.
Thank you for doing this!
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#178Why is everyone super interested in moving people from another country to the United States for work? It feels like in the Software world you should be able to work anywhere where there is internet. What advantages are there for someone to get a visa, and move to the United States aside from advantages to the company? (Full disclosure, my mom is an immigrant, moving to the US obviously made sense at the time.)
> What advantages are there for someone to get a visa, and move to the United States aside from advantages to the company?
More interesting work, as not everything is 'shipped' overseas. Better networking. Plus just my last year's bonus is the equivalent of several years of compensation at my previous country. Unless you find one of those unicorns with compensation that's independent of location, your pay will be far lower, even after accounting for cost of living.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#179Preamble: As I understand it, it is permissible for a European who works for a US company to visit the US as a "business visitor" on an ESTA in order to visit the company, as long as the visit is not for "work". Various sources list activities that are deemed to be "business" and not "work", such as attending business meetings or attending a trade show, and entering on an ESTA for these purposes is thus acceptable. Q…
This is the most European question I would have ever imagined.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#180I’m currently on F-1 graduating early by a semester. I want to move to OPT work for a couple of months before going to grad school. Do i reapply for F-1? Do i get my OPT reset ? How does that work?