Last year New Zealand joined the list of countries with a trade treaty with the U.S. New Zealand does not yet appear on the Department of State’s list of treaty countries. However, a DOS fact sheet on the Knowledgeable Innovators and Worthy Investors (KIWI) Act states that New Zealanders are eligible for the E-1 Visa…
By Sophie Alcorn and Valerie Dagama Pereira How can visas in the Land Down Under benefit U.S. companies? Australia offers a few visa options, including a pilot program that began last month, aimed at attracting specialized workers, established companies, and startups. U.S. employers could use these options to transfer foreign workers who cannot renew or…
We recently held office hours at Draper University to answer immigration questions from the current batch of students in the summer startup training program. Thanks to one of our clients—a graduate of the program—Draper staff invited me and my colleagues, Jeff Huang and Gabby Phillips, to talk to interested students about their options. When we…
If you are eligible to file for an adjustment of status for a green card under an EB-1 petition, do it by July 31. On August 1, all foreign nationals will no longer immediately receive an EB-1 green card when they or their employers apply for permanent residency, according to the latest Visa Bulletin. This…
Although the end is near for entrepreneur parole under the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER), startup founders have alternatives to build amazing companies in the U.S. After nearly a year of threatening to terminate the IER program, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made good on that threat last week: It published a proposal in the…
There are a lot of reasons to consider getting a green card through an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (EB-2 NIW). With Matter of Dhanasar, it’s a lot easier to get for startup founders in Silicon Valley. This is a great category for you to consider if you are a startup founder working at a company in…
If you have been working at a foreign company, how can you move to the US? If you’re a manager or executive, such as a startup founder, or an employee with specialized knowledge, you might have an opportunity to come to the United States with an L-1A or L-1B visa or even possibly an EB-1C…
Foreign entrepreneurs would be allowed to create and grow their startup in the U.S. under the proposed International Entrepreneur Rule. But because entrepreneurs will not receive a visa, obtaining a green card will still require long-term planning and maneuvering. International Entrepreneur Rule Under the proposed International Entrepreneur Rule, foreign entrepreneurs or startup founders would be eligible for parole,…
Applying for an L-1A visa may be the quickest—and cheapest—way for foreign investors and high-net-worth individuals to become permanent residents in the U.S., especially if they’re already working for a company abroad. Most foreign investors pursue an EB-5 visa to get a green card. But investors may want to consider an L-1A visa along with an EB-1C…