Founders and industry professionals alike are finding new opportunities in the Lone Star State. With innovation hotbeds like Rice Village, Ion District, and Innovation Corridor companies within Houston, TX are focused on attracting top talent from around the world to join their teams and enhance their growth and productivity.
Our team of immigration attorneys for startups regularly works alongside tech founders, Human Resources teams, and People Managers to navigate the U.S. immigration process. Your success is our success. To begin accomplishing, together, consider contacting our office at (855) 546-0015 today.
Tech Startup & Corporate Immigration
We are well-versed in navigating the unique challenges that tech startups and corporations face when applying for work visas for key employees. Having perfected our approach to these cases, clients routinely work with us to secure the following nonimmigrant visas:
- H-1B visa for professionals with specialized knowledge.
- O-1A visas for key employees who possess extraordinary abilities in their field.
- L-1 visas for managers and executives who wish to travel to the U.S. to set up a new office for their company.
- TN visas for Canadian and Mexican citizens to engage in business with a U.S. employer.
- E-3 visa for Australian citizens and H1-B1 visas for Chile and Singapore citizens who work in specialty occupations.
- E-1 trade visa, E-2 investor visa, and J-1 researcher visa for other types of business and employment in the United States.
Permanent Residence for Employees
The United States grants 140,000 employment-based Green Cards each year, allowing foreign professionals to live and work permanently in the United States. There is ample opportunity for companies to sponsor key employees to remain in the U.S. permanently. At Alcorn Immigration, we create new opportunities for professionals from around the world by helping secure the following Green Cards:
- EB-1A and EB-1B are for individuals with extraordinary ability in their field and outstanding professors and researchers
- EB-1C for multinational managers and executives to transfer to an affiliated office in the U.S. or establish a new office in Texas.
- EB-2 NIW for employees who meet the criteria for the National Interest Waiver, thereby waiving the labor certification requirement and offering an expedited Green Card application process.
- EB-2 PERM for workers who hold an advanced degree or demonstrate exceptional ability in their field.
- EB-3 for skilled workers, professionals, and other workers.
Startup Founder Immigration
More than half of all unicorn companies were founded by immigrant entrepreneurs, underscoring the impact of foreign-born startup founders on economic growth in the United States. When it comes to startup founder immigration, it is important to pursue a visa that offers the maximum freedom and greatest opportunities for growth and movement in the country. We consider the goals and objectives of our clients to make an informed decision regarding the following visa options:
- O-1A visas for founders who can demonstrate extraordinary ability in their field through their background, expertise, and acclaim.
- H-1B visas for employees with specialized knowledge. These visas are traditionally granted using the lottery system, but with the right strategy in place, you may be able to leverage cap-exempt employment to sidestep this randomized selection process.
- L-1 intracompany transferee visas for startup founders who have already established a company abroad and wish to travel to the U.S. to develop an office in Houston, TX.
- E-1/E-2 essential employee visas for traders and investors who are nationals of treaty countries.
- B-1 business visas and B-2 tourist visas may be a valuable option for entrepreneurs who want to participate in an accelerator program, raise capital, negotiate contracts, or identify an office space for their startups.
Permanent Residence for Founders and Employees
Securing a Green Card is a long-term solution for founders who are committed to growing their companies in the United States and their key employees. Our immigration attorneys for startups review all potential immigration avenues to achieve your business goals. We will account for your unique background and qualifications to select the proper immigration channel to maximize your chances of success.
Due to similar eligibility requirements, current O-1A visa holders may find that the EB-1A Green Card is the right fit. Multinational managers and executives, on the other hand, generally opt for the EB-1C Green Card to transfer to a U.S. office to oversee operations or facilitate a long-term project. For founders who meet the three prongs of the National Interest Waiver and can prove that their work is beneficial to the U.S. economy, the EB-2 NIW Green Card may be the right choice.
Legal Launch for Startups
Establishing and scaling a startup in the United States involves a great deal of risk, and many founders and HR departments seek to minimize uncertainty by gaining clarity on the immigration process. For this reason, we created Legal Launch – a four-week program designed to offer one-on-one attention to review your qualifications, organize your portfolio of accomplishments, and create a tailored immigration solution to help you move forward with confidence.
How to Choose the Best Immigration Attorney for Founders
An immigration attorney who understands the heart of your entrepreneurial aspirations and the complexities of the legal landscape will serve as your trusted advisor throughout the immigration process. Your choice of immigration attorney for startups requires careful consideration of the following factors:
- Experience and record of success. We have helped thousands of founders and HR/People Managers navigate the U.S. immigration process, and we enjoy working with business- and tech-minded people. Ensure that your attorney understands the intricacies of startup immigration and can relate to your experience as an entrepreneur or corporate professional.
- Solution-oriented. Does the attorney provide recommendations based on your unique goals and walk you through the right strategy to get there?
- Responsiveness. Will the attorney handle your case so you can focus on your professional growth? Do they answer your questions promptly?
About Sophie Alcorn
Sophie Alcorn is the founder of Alcorn Immigration. As an author, host of the Sophie Alcorn Podcast, TechCrunch contributor, and Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization, she has dedicated her legal practice to transcending borders, expanding opportunity, and connecting the world by practicing compassionate, visionary, and expert immigration law in service of the betterment of humanity.
The Alcorn Method
We provide white-glove service that is rooted in our proven method for securing consistent approval across a range of immigration cases. While we tailored this framework to fit your goals, needs, and expectations, when you work with an Alcorn immigration attorney for startups, you can expect the following experience:
- A comprehensive review of your business objectives, recruitment goals, and growth trajectory to strategize and identify the path forward that fully maximizes your potential.
- Meticulously prepare your application by organizing, gathering, and assembling all necessary evidence and documentation to support your case.
- File your visa application according to the rules and standards of the USCIS and the State Department.
- Finally, celebrate your win and walk you through the necessary next steps.
Immigration Resources for Startups
The correct information is critical to an entrepreneur, and, for this reason, we have created a suite of immigration resources for startups:
- Ask SophieTM, as seen on TechCrunch
- Sophie Alcorn Podcast
- Order the Book
- Register for Events
- Alcorn Academy
Accomplish, Together
As a nationally recognized law firm dedicated to supporting startup founders and corporate professionals navigate the complex landscape of the U.S. immigration process, we understand the hurdles standing in the way of procuring the necessary visas for you and your team. At Alcorn Immigration, we will take actionable steps to help you chart your course forward and hire top talent from around the globe. For more insight into how we can accomplish, together, consider connecting with our team of immigration attorneys for startups at (855) 546-0015 today.
