I'm a Canadian about to graduate from engineering. I'm well into my first startup, but I need to get to a startup hub where I can iterate faster and be around the right people. I don't want to spend 3+ years working for a company to get a green card, I want to focus on starting companies and failing as fast as possible. Is there any way I can get into the US?
Get a travel visa and a sham marriage. As the spouse of a US citizen, you are entitled to a nonimmigrant visa while you wait to be processed to become a permanent resident. Then, you can apply for citizenship.<p>Actually, your best bet would probably be to send out a boat load of emails to half the valley explaining your situation and see if any will hire you. You can come in for interviews on a regular travel visa. Then, whoever you're working for just has to fill out some form and you can stay pretty much indefinitely as long as you're still employed and file an extension every two years.<p><a href="http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=a7cc6138f898d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=48819c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD" rel="nofollow">http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f...</a>
I am also really interested in a way to start a startup in the US. Also Canadian.<p>Currently, I am working on a TN visa for a big tech company in the US. The TN is a 1 year temporary work permit. Currently, I'm on my second TN; last year, I tried to upgrade to an H-1B, but my application was not randomly selected. The TN visa is quite easy to obtain if sponsored by a company. It's the H-1B that poses a problem; you might get one after 1 year, or it might take longer (like in my case). Once on an H-1B, you can start applying for a green card. You can find more info about the TN and H-1B on wikipedia:<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_visa" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_visa</a><p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H1B_visa" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H1B_visa</a><p>It is also possible to go straight from a TN to a green card if you have a good immigration lawyer. This procedure is risky: if your green card application is rejected, you'll never be able to obtain a TN again. Take a look here for more info:<p><a href="http://www.immigrationportal.com/archive/index.php/t-123851.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.immigrationportal.com/archive/index.php/t-123851....</a><p>I do plan to start a startup later this year, in the US if possible. I don't really want to wait 3-5 years (or even longer) to get a green card. In my research, I also came across the Treaty Investor visa status that petesmithy mentions in his thread. Here are some links:<p><a href="http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1273.html" rel="nofollow">http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1273.html</a><p><a href="http://toronto.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=evisa_intro_faqs" rel="nofollow">http://toronto.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=v...</a><p>I would be really curious to see how this goes for you omakase. I've only recently started to do some research into this. You can contact me at (alx dot solomon at gmail dot com).
I am on an immigrant, and to answer your question, I don't think there is an easy way to accomplish this. Your best, and most legit option is to wait out for the green card.<p>There might be a way to spin off a company with a citizen, but even then, to work with them on a H1-B visa, the company needs to show some revenue so that as to convince the INS that it may potential need additional employees, especially immigrants.<p>Please take what I say with a grain of salt. I looked some into this, and from what I understood, this is the only safe route. Good luck, and I will be interested in knowing if you find something that disagrees with me...:D
Having been through this experience, I think the best way is to try and get a job in the US with a visa, then work on the startup on the side. If you can get funded, everything gets a lot easier. Unless of course you're wealthy to start with.
Check this chain out.. Drop me an email (pete at songkick dot com) if you want any info, looked into this pretty extensively..<p><a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=67268" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=67268</a>
> I'm well into my first startup, but I need to get to a startup hub where I can iterate faster and be around the right people.<p>I think you might want to examine your assumptions. If you need to hire people (or are desperate to get funded or acquired ;-), then said startup-hub is important. If you have a way of bootstrapping on your own ("I only bus tables as a day-job; I'm <i>really</i> an actor^Wstartup founder!"), and a plan for getting actual revenue, then don't overlook the potential of a certain global computer network that can reach across borders much more easily than you can.
I've worked in the US on J1 status, the process was pretty painless, but the sponsoring company does need to produce a Training Plan that includes US social events and evidence of US only experience to be gained and how that experience will then be used in your home country.<p>You can then try for a H1-B and hope you get one of the very limited number available.