I am currently working with 2 friends on an online venture. Each of us have jobs and we only work on our project in the weekends and some week-nights if we can get home before 10pm. We dream about pursuing our project full-time and we have thought a lot about applying to YC and other similar programs.<p>The problem is that two of us are not American citizens or permanent residents. We require visas to remain here legally. We would like to stay and work together but this is not possible without a visa. At the same time, we really don't see our project getting anywhere unless we pursue it full-time. I was wondering if anyone else has/had this problem when creating their venture. Are there ways to get around it so we can apply to programs like YC?
This thread might be useful if you are looking into getting a visa. My co-founder and I are looking at these options right now: <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=115590" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=115590</a><p><a href="http://ycombinator.com/faq.html" rel="nofollow">http://ycombinator.com/faq.html</a> << also, you only need to be able to come to the US for the 3 months to be able to participate in YC. so my advice is apply and begin looking at your visa options. if you get in and have your visa already sorted out by the time you get to the states I imagine it will make it easier when you look to raise more money, stick around, etc.
One idea: Create two companies, a US company and a company in your local country. You local country affiliate can pay your salary and the US company can pay the foreign company like a vendor.<p>After a year or so, you will be eligible to get a company L-1 transfer visa.<p>Or if you don't plan on paying yourself through the company in the first year or so, try to get a visa at another company (perhaps you are consulting for a small number of hours per week?). You wont be an employee of your startup, but you will be the owner.
That sounds like a good idea. I am already working at another company on a H1-B visa and run my venture just as aside.<p>To really pursue this full-time, one route I am thinking is to apply to business-school and work on my venture through that. That way, I'll get to work on my venture, have better chances of meeting bright people I can work with, have better access to funding opportunities and also gain a 1 year provision through an F-1 visa that I can use to build a startup. Does that seem like a good idea?
Move to your country of origin or other common countries where you & your founders don't need a visa and start a startup from there.<p>If you move from the US to a country where the currency is weaker, the same dollar will really stretch.<p>I spoke to the RedSwoosh guys who had moved to Thailand for 6 months and it worked out well for them: <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB119179859820351674.html" rel="nofollow">http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB119179859820351...</a>
Thanks for the advice....<p>I don't think I want to go the sham marriage route :-)Perhaps the best thing would be to consult an immigration lawyer. Just wanted to know if anyone has had similar experiences to mine as to attend a program like YC, everything is predicated on being able to remain in the country.
Thanks for this good thread and our team could run into the same problem. We would like to know, if its pivotal for any startup to start from US to gain a good success?
You wrote "about applying to YC and other similar programs" do you know any other firms which do the same what YC does? If so, please post some info! thanks!