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How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

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Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#31

Post by vgurgov »

arnorhs wrote: post #5
vgurgov wrote: post #2

I am not YC founder, so i dont know how YC do that. But technically everyone can come to US, register a company and work for it. Its YOUR company, so no prob here. Although you might need to come back to your country every 6 months or so. Edit: Surprised to see so many comments and and downvotes from "experts" for that. Get business/tourist (b1/b2). You are not working you are considering investing in US- one of the…

Everyone can register a company? But you still need a special VISA to work. That's remarkable.

This is tricky. Depends how you define work ;)

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#32

Post by vgurgov »

eru wrote: post #4
vgurgov wrote: post #2

I am not YC founder, so i dont know how YC do that. But technically everyone can come to US, register a company and work for it. Its YOUR company, so no prob here. Although you might need to come back to your country every 6 months or so. Edit: Surprised to see so many comments and and downvotes from "experts" for that. Get business/tourist (b1/b2). You are not working you are considering investing in US- one of the…

Really? It's sound like this would make it possible to work every job, by sub-contracting to your `company'.

1) not all companies need subcontracting. some need direct hire on various reasons (like taxing)

2) schema should have another overseas layer

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#33

Post by mdda »

eduardoflores wrote: post #24
duke_sam wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a visa (It's one of the E visas) for people bringing capital into the states but you it's not a trivial amount and you need to prove that you will employ a certain number of Americans.

Info on the E1 (trader) and E2 (investor) on the US Embassy in Mexico http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/eng/evisas_E.html Highlights for the investor visa: - The investor must be coming to the United States solely to develop and direct the enterprise - The investment must be substantial. It must be sufficient to ensure the successful operation of the enterprise - must have the capacity to generate significantly more in…

I've been running my own business in the US on an E-2 visa for the last 12 years. The minimum recommended initial investment is of the order of $100,000 - and a majority the E-2 company must be owned by citizens of the non-US 'treaty country'.

Rough guide to application : 0.5-1.0 inch thick.

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#34

Post by davidw »

vgurgov wrote: post #2

I am not YC founder, so i dont know how YC do that. But technically everyone can come to US, register a company and work for it. Its YOUR company, so no prob here. Although you might need to come back to your country every 6 months or so. Edit: Surprised to see so many comments and and downvotes from "experts" for that. Get business/tourist (b1/b2). You are not working you are considering investing in US- one of the…

Sheez, what's with the "pile on" downvoting. If he's wrong, vote him down to 0 or -1 and leave it at that.

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#35

Post by vgurgov »

vgurgov wrote: post #2

I am not YC founder, so i dont know how YC do that. But technically everyone can come to US, register a company and work for it. Its YOUR company, so no prob here. Although you might need to come back to your country every 6 months or so. Edit: Surprised to see so many comments and and downvotes from "experts" for that. Get business/tourist (b1/b2). You are not working you are considering investing in US- one of the…

i know that this will get a ton of downvotes, but problem with getting entrepreneur visa in US is pretty much overvalued!

Get this:

Most skilled ppl can get this or other solution pretty easy and legal after doing some research in the field. So dont worry about getting a visa, better worry about building a great product!!

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#36

Post by moondowner »

I was planning to work for a company in the USA via Faculty (Java & Database stuff), for 4 months - during the summer, and as I was reading, the applicant gets a J-1 visa (or it was J-2, I can't recall now), but I got another offer so I didn't go.

My point is, J-1 & J-2 are visas for students, teachers, business trainees, certain specialists, and more... If YC wants you, maybe you're eligible for this kind of visa.

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#37

Post by vgurgov »

davidw wrote: post #34
vgurgov wrote: post #2

I am not YC founder, so i dont know how YC do that. But technically everyone can come to US, register a company and work for it. Its YOUR company, so no prob here. Although you might need to come back to your country every 6 months or so. Edit: Surprised to see so many comments and and downvotes from "experts" for that. Get business/tourist (b1/b2). You are not working you are considering investing in US- one of the…

Sheez, what's with the "pile on" downvoting. If he's wrong, vote him down to 0 or -1 and leave it at that.

Thx, but i dont really care about my carma. I simply cant be wrong here because i experienced this myself and know like 10 friends doing such things with zero probs. Heck even YC says that visa isnt a big deal for their companies.

Guess most of downvotes coming from lazy hackers who like to count visa issues as excuse for their own laziness.

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#38

Post by vgurgov »

DirtyAndy wrote: post #19

I've also been interested in how they get around this. Technically on a business tourist visa (forgotten what it is called, but if you are from the right country you just tick a box on your way in) I think you are allowed to attend meetings and tradeshows. From an IT perspective I am pretty sure you are able to do analysis if the aim is then go back to your home country and do development. But I cannot see how a star…

its called b1/b2 and even if you are from country that qualify for waiver you should get it. it gives you 6m+6m instead of 3month and more.

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#39

Post by siong1987 »

vgurgov wrote: post #37
davidw wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sheez, what's with the "pile on" downvoting. If he's wrong, vote him down to 0 or -1 and leave it at that.

Thx, but i dont really care about my carma. I simply cant be wrong here because i experienced this myself and know like 10 friends doing such things with zero probs. Heck even YC says that visa isnt a big deal for their companies. Guess most of downvotes coming from lazy hackers who like to count visa issues as excuse for their own laziness.

this is really interesting. do you mind to elaborate more?

i am Teng Siong Ong from GraffitiGeo(YC S2009). in fact, visa is the worst problem that many YC international founders face now.

this will really help if you could share your experience with all of us.

Re: How did non US citizen founders funded by YC get allowed to work in the US?

#40

Post by goatforce5 »

vgurgov wrote: post #29
duke_sam wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a visa (It's one of the E visas) for people bringing capital into the states but you it's not a trivial amount and you need to prove that you will employ a certain number of Americans.

Forget about E*. Get simple b1/b2 - everyone qualify or L1-bit more complex but possible

Australians should take special interest in the E3 visa:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-3_visa

I can imagine that incorporating a company in the US and then having that company sponsor you would be a valid use of the E3. Once the company has an LCA to prove a US resident can't do your job (requires some hoop jumping and waiting around), it's super easy to get the E3. For a really young/small company you'd probably need to go to some effort to prove that the company isn't simply a vehicle to get the visa for a foreigner.

I had an E3 and left of my own volition without applying for an extension. I tend to get a couple of minutes of extra questioning when going in to/transiting the US now, based on their assumption that I obviously want to return to live/work there, having experienced their awesomeness in the past. I know another person in exactly the same situation.

(edit: changed LMO -> LCA. I was confusing Canadian and US terminology)

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