4 ms·

Why did you apply in the first place? Is there a particular reason why you can't just get a tourist visa & cross the border every few months?

by c1sc0 15y ago

chrislloyd 15y ago
It is costly and only works a few times. Investors will also be (rightfully) nervous of any possibility that you may not be able to stay in the country.
- jagbolanos 15y ago
  I stayed over 6 months with my tourist visa last year. And we travel back and forth to the US for business meetings. However as you say, if you are looking for funding then it might be a problem, they don't say it but you can perceive it. I'm wondering if getting the investor money helps to get your visa. Does anyone know cases like that?
  - dasil003 15y ago
    Wow, you might not want to mention that on a public forum.
    - jagbolanos 15y ago
      No problem. The Tourist visa is B-1/B-2 I enter with B-1 that is for Business, I state clearly that my visit is for Business, and when they ask me in customs I always say the truth, that I have a SW dev company and I'm visiting clients and looking for more. Never had a problem with that. I think that if you get too complicated with your stories that's when you can get into troubles in customs. EDIT: I never stayed longer than stated on the I-95 btw
  - Lewisham 15y ago
    AFAIK, all US visa grants are at the discretion of the officer reviewing your case. Anything that strengthens your case in their eyes can only help. However, I doubt they'll stamp visas where the criteria aren't met (which, according to the OP, he did, so that sucks).
    - jagbolanos 15y ago
      Yes, that's what they told me, you must meet certain requirements and also the officer has to be convinced that your visa will bring something good to the US. So it's the requirements + strong proof that you will create jobs in the US or your are a great scientist, artist, etc... or you have a lot of money to invest.
cletus 15y ago
Why would he get a visa that legally allows him to work and accurately reflects his intent to enter the US rather than work illegally on a tourist visa that, if discovered, is likely to have you deported and barred from reentry to the United States? Hmm, that's a tough one.
thanasisp 15y ago
I am not a tourist. My intention is [was] to stay in the us and make this startup work. Uninterrupted. This can take from 2 up to 10 years or who knows how many... Can't do that on a Tourist visa, it's a "half measure".
- philiphodgen 15y ago
  Half-measures avail us nothing. :-) You are right to reject the tourist visa option: it might work for a few quick visits to network and meet people, but it is not the best way to go if you are serious. And I have seen that when I behave in a serious and business-like way, I get serious and business-like results. (Off-topic: when I started being rigorous about claiming business expenses only for real business expenses and stopped telling half-truths on my tax returns, then I started making a lot more money. Correlation, not causation? Maybe. I put it down to an attitude adjustment.) Back on topic. Did you prepare the E-2 visa application yourself or did you hire a U.S. immigration lawyer to do the work for you? Immigration work is 80% technical knowledge, 80% procedural skills, and 80% immaculate paperwork. That's why getting someone with deep experience counts. (Disclosure: I have a vested interest in selling the concept of "hire an extremely experienced professional"). (Disclosure: I am not an immigration lawyer; that stuff scares me.)
  - philiphodgen 15y ago
    Follow-up. Think about the category "L" visa. Executive of foreign corporation transferred to work at the U.S. branch. Set up a Swedish corporation. Create a U.S. subsidiary corporation. Decide to assign yourself to the USA to work. Devil. Details. Etc. These visa applications can be completed in 6 weeks or so -- this is what my immigration lawyer friends tell me.
    - thanasisp 15y ago
      Thank you for the tips philip! Of course i had an experienced lawyer that took my hand throughout all the process... And we also examined all available options... L type visas are not as simple as you describe. The criteria that have to be met are not suitable for a startup company. The killing requirement is that you (the employee that will be assigned in the US subsidiary) has to work in the mother company for at least a year. ... And let's not get into what the requirements for the mother company are...

Why did you apply in the first place? Is there a particular reason why you can't just get a tourist visa & cross the border every few months?

by c1sc0 15y ago

Why did you apply in the first place? Is there a particular reason why you can't just get a tourist visa & cross the border every few months?

chrislloyd 15y ago

It is costly and only works a few times. Investors will also be (rightfully) nervous of any possibility that you may not be able to stay in the country.

jagbolanos 15y ago
I stayed over 6 months with my tourist visa last year. And we travel back and forth to the US for business meetings. However as you say, if you are looking for funding then it might be a problem, they don't say it but you can perceive it. I'm wondering if getting the investor money helps to get your visa. Does anyone know cases like that?
- dasil003 15y ago
  Wow, you might not want to mention that on a public forum.
  - jagbolanos 15y ago
    No problem. The Tourist visa is B-1/B-2 I enter with B-1 that is for Business, I state clearly that my visit is for Business, and when they ask me in customs I always say the truth, that I have a SW dev company and I'm visiting clients and looking for more. Never had a problem with that. I think that if you get too complicated with your stories that's when you can get into troubles in customs. EDIT: I never stayed longer than stated on the I-95 btw
- Lewisham 15y ago
  AFAIK, all US visa grants are at the discretion of the officer reviewing your case. Anything that strengthens your case in their eyes can only help. However, I doubt they'll stamp visas where the criteria aren't met (which, according to the OP, he did, so that sucks).
  - jagbolanos 15y ago
    Yes, that's what they told me, you must meet certain requirements and also the officer has to be convinced that your visa will bring something good to the US. So it's the requirements + strong proof that you will create jobs in the US or your are a great scientist, artist, etc... or you have a lot of money to invest.

cletus 15y ago

Why would he get a visa that legally allows him to work and accurately reflects his intent to enter the US rather than work illegally on a tourist visa that, if discovered, is likely to have you deported and barred from reentry to the United States? Hmm, that's a tough one.

thanasisp 15y ago

I am not a tourist. My intention is [was] to stay in the us and make this startup work. Uninterrupted. This can take from 2 up to 10 years or who knows how many... Can't do that on a Tourist visa, it's a "half measure".

philiphodgen 15y ago
Half-measures avail us nothing. :-) You are right to reject the tourist visa option: it might work for a few quick visits to network and meet people, but it is not the best way to go if you are serious. And I have seen that when I behave in a serious and business-like way, I get serious and business-like results. (Off-topic: when I started being rigorous about claiming business expenses only for real business expenses and stopped telling half-truths on my tax returns, then I started making a lot more money. Correlation, not causation? Maybe. I put it down to an attitude adjustment.) Back on topic. Did you prepare the E-2 visa application yourself or did you hire a U.S. immigration lawyer to do the work for you? Immigration work is 80% technical knowledge, 80% procedural skills, and 80% immaculate paperwork. That's why getting someone with deep experience counts. (Disclosure: I have a vested interest in selling the concept of "hire an extremely experienced professional"). (Disclosure: I am not an immigration lawyer; that stuff scares me.)
- philiphodgen 15y ago
  Follow-up. Think about the category "L" visa. Executive of foreign corporation transferred to work at the U.S. branch. Set up a Swedish corporation. Create a U.S. subsidiary corporation. Decide to assign yourself to the USA to work. Devil. Details. Etc. These visa applications can be completed in 6 weeks or so -- this is what my immigration lawyer friends tell me.
  - thanasisp 15y ago
    Thank you for the tips philip! Of course i had an experienced lawyer that took my hand throughout all the process... And we also examined all available options... L type visas are not as simple as you describe. The criteria that have to be met are not suitable for a startup company. The killing requirement is that you (the employee that will be assigned in the US subsidiary) has to work in the mother company for at least a year. ... And let's not get into what the requirements for the mother company are...