For anyone considering working with Peter, our firm has been a client for 10 years, have sponsored 5-10 green cards and 20+ visas. Peter has been amazing to work with and we've gotten emphatic thank you notes from people we recommended to him.
I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
161–170 of 318 posts
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#162You previously answered me that getting H1B without a degree is a thing, but one has to have their work history well documented. Could you please expand on what involves? What if the companies someone worked at no longer exist? Thanks
That makes it tougher of course but letters from former colleagues or supervisors also can do the trick along with other evidence such as offer letters, employment agreements, and pay records.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#163I have a lot of friends at work that have H1B visas. They try to get green cards but the process drags out often for more than a decade. Why is it so hard for people who want to be here, and who have well paying jobs, to get green cards?
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#164Earlier quoted context omitted.
1. I'd be happy to speak with you and go through your options. 2. That's not the most important factor; we do E-2s for existing businesses and solo founders all the time.
What are the top items a solo software founder (of a treaty country) seeking e-2 might not have in their application/background or want in the outcome of an e-2?
E-2s for founders are generally easy as long as there's the qualifying investment and a good business plan. Sometimes founders of very new backgrounds with limited experience run into issues but even this is rare.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#165I'm an L1B visa holder that will be filing I-140, I-765, I-131, I-485 concurrently in the coming months.
How soon can I leave my current employer?
As soon as the I-140 is approved and the EAD turns up? Assuming that my employer has communicated that they would not withdraw an approved I-140.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#166Thanks for the AMA Peter. Planning an O-1 to move to SF and start a startup. Can I run paid internships to support myself in the early days (before the pre-seed)?
You would need work authorization to take on paid internships - and there's almost certainly no work authorization option available. There have been and will be changes to the J-1 program so depending on your area of expertise and background, the J-1 might be an option but there would be complications with this if your plan is to remain in the U.S. after the J-1 internship.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#167I have a lot of friends at work that have H1B visas. They try to get green cards but the process drags out often for more than a decade. Why is it so hard for people who want to be here, and who have well paying jobs, to get green cards?
Surely you should ask that to your Congressman, not a lawyer...
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#168Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#169Green card holder via marriage, decided after 10 years it's time to naturalize. Nothing exotic in the situation - still happily married, started a family, no legal issues, citizen of Western country etc. Is it worth retaining an immigration attorney for this? Most of my friends who have done this did it themselves and say it's a paper-filing exercise, simple test and an interview - so they think I'm being overly caut…
Naturalized citizen here: it's not hard at all. You've had the green card for 10 years so the marriage is not even a consideration. For once, you'll be on the "friendly" side of USCIS that wants you to succeed, not the one that wants an excuse to deny.
If there are no issues (that is, no criminal record and no extended absences), then it's a simple and straightforward process and we advise all our clients to handle on their applications on their own and save themselves the legal fees.
Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA
#170Hi. I’m working on early product (no fundraising yet) and my friend is on h1 and cannot work with me due to visa restrictions. Is there any option here so we can work together?
It depends what you mean by work. He or she cannot get paid of course but there's lots that he or she can do with regard to establishing the company, building the product, etc.