3 ms·

> Anyway, YCombinator isn't the only option For sure. But if you did get accepted then... > Unless there's something REALLY special about your circumstances,

> Anyway, YCombinator isn't the only option For sure. But if you did get accepted then... > Unless there's something REALLY special about your circumstances, you almost certainly couldn't I'm not sure I'd go that far. I'm not a layer, and I'm not encouraging any sort of illegal activity, but the visa waiver program might (at a push) be ok for something like YC. Anyone tried? I worked for a firm in the UK that sent me to the US to conduct 'internal meetings' once or twice before I got an L1 visa. I never dug into the detail of exactly what is allowed, but they seemed confident that using the visa waiver program in that way was ok. The YC term might require a trip to Canada. A lawyer in the back pocket might not be a bad idea either..

petercooper 18y ago
but the visa waiver program might (at a push) be ok for something like YC. It's really not. I'm not a lawyer either but this is very much illegal and you will be deported (and be made ineligible to use the VWP ever again) if found out. You can use the VWP to attend business meetings and certain types of sales calls, warranty repairs, etc.. but actually doing "work" (even if not in return for money) is a big no-no. With YC you'd actually be getting money AND doing work. I worked for a firm in the UK that sent me to the US to conduct 'internal meetings' once or twice before I got an L1 visa. Meetings would be okay. If you were actually "working" though, that was illegal. That's not to say it doesn't happen all the time but it's still illegal. More info on http://travel.state.gov/pdf/BusinessVisa.pdf http://travel.state.gov/pdf/BusinessVisa.pdf