Hey Peter! I wanted to thank you for doing this. I just got my green card last year, and it all kind of started with me asking you a question about H1B caps in a thread like this almost a decade ago. Super appreciate you doing this for people that are dreaming of a better future, dreaming of the American dream.

Wish you the best!

I know someone who has got a O1 visa to do freelance work, via an employer that has turned out to be dodgy. This employer is giving her mixed messages, on the one hand claiming to have cancelled her visa because she wasn't available for work exactly when the employer needed, on the other saying they haven't really cancelled the visa and she can carry on working for them. She now wonders whether her O-1 entry was during the 60-day grace period after it had been cancelled and thereby unlawful. She doesn't know whether she can legally continue to work because she cannot trust this employer. Compounding this is the fact that she's been engaged to an American for a while and is pregnant. She's now worried about having unwittingly done an illegal entry, and about being seen to have worked illegally, and how that would affect her adjustment of status. I know little of this but I suggested 2 things - (1) collect evidence of the games this employer is playing with you, and ask them to say in writing they haven't cancelled your visa, as proof that you entered the US in good faith and are not knowingly working illegally, (2) possibly contact USCIS directly to check whether the visa is still valid. Any comment on her situation and what she might do?

Hi Peter, thank you for doing this AMA. I am on H1B and I recently lost my job. I only have about 50 days left to get a new job but I have a spouse who is on his own H1B. I wanted to see and find out legal and smooth options to buy more time for myself to find a new job - If anything, it would be those options that do not need me to leave the country and get stamping, if at all. My country of citizenship is India, by the way. If you can help us out, it would be really great. Thank you.

Hi Peter! Thank you for doing this.

I'm a software engineer with 3 years of experience and a MSc degree in computer science. I'm currently working in a big tech company in the UK and I would like to move to the US in the near future. At the moment I'm more leaning toward an L1 because I don't have to go through the lottery but I'm exploring other scenarios. Would you recommend trying to move to the US with an L1 or an H1B? Does an L1 provide a path to a GC? What are the cons of an L1 visa compared to an H1B?

Again, many thanks!

Hey Peter! Thanks for doing this!

I’m trying to understand the dual intent nature of O1A. I’m a PhD student with EB2-NIW and EB1A approved. Unfortunately, I am not expecting a green card in the next 6-12 years due to my country of birth.

I am eligible for O1A, but it seems like the dual-intent of O1A seems to be in grey area unlike H1B. Would I have any issues with O1A stamping in foreign embassies or during reentry given that I filed I-140 and showed immigration intent? Or is it safe to assume that O1A is also dual intent? Thanks!

Hi Peter! Thanks for doing this.

I'm a college dropout working as a SWE at one of the FAANG companies in Europe.

I understand that there are two paths I can take -- getting transferred by my company on an L-1B or try to compensate a degree with 12+ years of experience for an H1-B. Do you have any tips for people without degrees from what you've seen in practice? How often do you see people without a degree getting any of the visas?

Is there any chance I can get an o1 if I have a really good resume (10+ YOE, half of it at very-well-known companies)?

Most posted job positions in the US, that I see, explicitly state they will not sponser candidates. But how receptive are they to TN visa candidates and do you see that attitude changing in the near future?

Thank you again for the great questions and discussion. I'm taking a break now and will return in about an hour. If I miss any questions before the AMA ends today, I'll do my best to respond tomorrow

Thanks, Peter.

Do you think a state like Oregon can continue to have a state constitution it does with support for immigration as a sanctuary, etc. or is Oregon supposed to be more duty bound by local state constitution? What happens when they are mutually exclusive or the federal government gives orders that are unlawful locally? Does this become a 10th amendment issue?

Hello, I am a computer science research engineer with 2 years of experience in a non-U.S. big tech company research center in Europe. Before that, I worked as a research fellow at the university after I got my master degree. During that time I published 4 papers, and I was a reviewer for a CS journal (even though I actually reviewed only 1 paper). I actually have 60-70 citations of my works (if it might be relevant in any way). What are my chances to get an O-1 visa? Thanks in advance for your time

Do founders need to move to the US to be efficient? Is it possible to incorporate in the US and run the company from their home country without any hassles?

Hi Peter! Thanks for doing this! I've been watching this thread and reading for so many times but now I have a question.

If I come from Australia with an E3 visa, what is the pathway for me to get a greencard? On the US Gov website, the E3 visa is a non-immigrant visa. does this mean that I can't convert to H1B or greencard if I came with E3 visa?

Thankyou

What do you think will change for folks who are paroled under Uniting for Ukraine (https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine)?

Hi Peter, thank you so much for your work and for doing these AMAs! I am a PhD student on an F1 at a US university who would very much like to stay after graduation. Without going into too much details, I think I would have a strong O1 or EB-2-NIW application (top US school, multiple publications, awards, reviewing) upon graduation, but I am worried about leaving it until then to start the process as I know it can be very time consuming. What, if anything, can I do to "get the ball rolling" before I graduate? I presume starting an EB-2-NIW application would not be feasible at this point, for example, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Ideally I would enter the job market with a non-employer-specific green card, so that I don't have the additional stress of having to worry about being kicked out. Thank you all the work you do!

Peter, I'm a software engineer with a FAANG company, ~20 years experience and at the senior staff level. I lived in the US for a while with my family, and we all have green cards. Last year, we moved back to India (where we're from), with re-entry permits that are valid till July 2026. We'd like to continue living in India for a while (the next 8-10 years, till our kids finish school), but also keep our green cards so that we can move to the US afterwards without going through the Indian-citizen green card nightmare, especially for my kids. I go to the US every 3-4 months on work, my family less frequently. Been paying US taxes and no problems continuing to do so, but I don't own a house in the US. Is there a way I can keep my green card while living in India for 8-10 years? Or should I just give it up when my re-entry permit expires, and find a way to apply again?

Some family friends are part of a diaspora seeking asylum from Russia. Their hearing dates all fall inside 2026.

Part of their asylum plea is admission to activities that Russia criminalized during the invasion of Ukraine - draft dodging, dissemination information about the invasion, and sending aid money to their relatives in Ukrainian.

If they were deported back to Russia, their asylum plea would ostensibly be used as an admission of guilt.

With the change in administrations, there is a lot of consternation in the community that their hearing will go badly or be cancelled altogether. Is there any indication what will happen with these cases yet?

Thanks for doing this Peter. I have two questions, advice on either/both would be much appreciated!

1) Partner moved to the US in L1B status, after 2-3 years successfully adjusted to L1A status, based on having been promoted and perhaps been initially misclassified. Would they be eligible for the EB1C green card?

2) How can an individual on the STEM OPT extension best work on their own entrepreneurial ventures? Would it be sufficient to incorporate as a C-Corp and have 1-2 Americans on the Board, with the authority to fire me, serving as my supervisors? They have relevant work experience and could easily be my manager in a corporate environment. Or do they have to own >50% of the company too?

How viable is the effort to overturn birthright citizenship?

Hi Peter

Is the L1B path available for people who contract for US companies from abroad?

Lots of software engineers in the EU work for US companies using a B2B contract as sole entrepreneurs without an official employer/employee relation, but they bill 40h/week so in fact these are full time positions. I'm in a situation like this. Every month I issue an invoice where I state exactly how many hours I worked. Does it make me eligible for a L1B transfer to the US office?

Thank you for your time, cheers.

Hey Peter, I appreciate what you're doing here. I made a throwaway account since I don't want this part of my personal life to be on HN and tied to me in any way.

I'm currently waiting for about 6 months to get my marriage case reviewed with USCIS (CR-1). The USCIS website at one point said it'd take a few weeks, now it's back to a few months; Reddit is unanimous: don't trust what the USCIS website says. I've looked at Visa Journey and based on that it seems to take about 15 months, if I recall correctly.

In your experience, how long does it take? When should we ring the bell when it is going too slowly? Also, does it matter that I'm from a northern/western European country or does it not matter at all?

Do you foresee Canadians applying for TN/H1-Bs facing more obstacles in the new administration?

Hi Peter, Thank you for the AMA! I am reposting here because my earlier comment was killed [0] and you probably haven't seen it.

I am a STEM postdoctoral researcher currently in the first year of my STEM OPT, and I am planning to apply for a green card in the coming months alongside my STEM OPT extension. After consulting with an immigration lawyer, I have been advised to pursue the NIW EB-2 category.

I would greatly appreciate your insights on the following questions:

1. Based on your experience, how would you rank the importance of the following evidence in supporting an NIW EB-2 application (from most to least important)?

- Citations

- Competitive awards and fellowships

- Experience as a peer reviewer

- Letters of recommendation

- Expert opinions (independent letters of recommendation)

- Research in an area of high importance to the United States

2. The legal fees quoted by my lawyer seem very high compared to figures I’ve found elsewhere online. Given my current severe financial constraints, I was wondering if you could share what you consider a reasonable range for all legal fees associated with an EB-2 application (NIW I-140 petition, Adjustment of Status, RFEs).

3. If you have worked with any immigration lawyers or firms that would be appropriate for cases like mine and that you would recommend, I would be very grateful for your suggestions.

Thank you so much for your time and advice. I truly value your perspective and any guidance you can provide as I navigate this process.

0. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42772058

As an EU citizen, what are my chances of being able to get a visa if hired by an American company?

I am on H1b visa now. I filed my PERM one month ago. According to some people, it takes 1 year and a half to get my PERM approved and it takes another month to get my I-140 approved. But I want to jump ships soon. If I leave my current company, I will have to start everything over again (Prevailing Wage Determination, Labor Market Test, PERM). I feel I'm stuck in this company. What are the things I could do?

Hey Peter!

I desperately want to leave the UK with an exceptional talent visa.

SWE engineer building an AI copilot for finance. +10 years of experience.

I plan to get a small press release for it too.

What are my odds? Are exceptional talent visas worth it?

Hello, thank you for hosting this! I'm applying for green card based on marriage. I've prepared i130, i485, i130a, i864, i131, i601, i765, i693. Is there any form/documents I'm missing? Is there any very crucial marriage, financial, or legal status proof that tends to be overlooked by applicants? Thank you!

Thank you for doing this. I don’t know if this is part of your expertise. I am planning of incorporating the holding of my start up in Delaware, the startup is located in Dubai (I am a resident there, German origin, my co-founder US passport holder). As we are planning on targeting US investors we decided to have the holding in Delaware. Now the question is, what are the potential tax implications for a company from the outside incorporating a holding in Delaware. (1) Is the operational business taxable in the US? Is there a threshold? Or would it only play a role once we would potentially sell the company? The feedback we are receiving is not very straightforward. (2) I am aware that my confounder obviously needs to report to the IRS, but would him holding an Us passport also have an impact on the company or this is completely separate?

Hey Peter! Really appreciate you doing this.

I used to work for a company in the US on OPT, and since I couldn't obtain an H1B, I moved to Canada as a permanent resident. Due to the nature of work I did at the company, I moved to a contracting role.

I have since been able to get the H1B via the same company, and they would like for me to move back. However, being born in India, even if I move back to the US, the path to permanent residency feels long and nearly unattainable. Is there any other alternatives for me for attaining a green card in a shorter span of time?

Hey Peter! Thank you for doing this!

I’m seeking advice on the optimal path for immigration to the U.S., as I see significant opportunities there, both in research and the startup ecosystem.

A bit about my background: I am Ukrainian and currently finishing my PhD in the EU. I have several first-author publications in tier-one conferences, although I once had a visa rejected to attend a U.S. conference to present a paper. In addition, I have contributed to non-first-author papers and workshops. Previously, I co-founded a startup in the EU focused on improving the educational system, which is still in operation. Currently, I am completing an internship at a FAANG company in the EU and planning to launch another startup in the near future.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Peter, thanks for doing this!

My employer has been helpful to file for my green card. I recently got "CERTIFIED" on my PERM and the lawyers are working to get my I-140 ready to file. I have some publications as first author and as a co-author is a highly respected journal.

I wanted to know if there is a path to move from EB2 to EB1? If there is, what would be the requirements to qualify? I ask this my I-140 priority date is late 2024, and the current date for my nationality is 2012. EB1 current date seems to be 2022. Is it possible to move to EB1 and carry over the priority date from the (hopefully approved) I-140?

Many thanks! I have read several of your AMAs and found them helpful!

I received notice of a successful i140 application (for eb1a) in September 2022 and have been waiting for the past 2.5 years for the dates to become current. The dates haven't moved past Feb 22 for the past 6 months or so. Any speculation on how these dates may move under the new administration?

Any pitfalls to watch out for for Canadians on the TN? Specifically during this next administration?

How often do you see bootstrapped founders get an O-1? How much revenue do they typically have before applying?

Hey Peter - I'm a US citizen currently living in Canada as a permanent resident (my wife is Canadian and we're raising our kids here). I've started startups in the states before when I used to live there, incorporated as C-Corps, but now that I'm living in Canada - if I wanted to create a startup, could I still incorporate it as a C-Corp in Delaware? *I do have my parents address in the states that I can use if needed

Any tips or suggestions for a DACA recipient with a year left in Uni for Computer Science, here in the states? I am nervous about my career post-school and am wondering if you could shed some insight as to what my options might be. Thank you for your time.

Peter -- many thanks for your continued presence and accessible approach. My wife and I reached out to you several years ago and your response was immensely helpful and comforting. Thanks for what you do.

What are better chances O1 or H1B? Still need apply for a visa waiver due to a record on my file.

For O1 - I have a company

- I'm getting published soon (Springer Nature. I only have a Bachelor in Science)

- I have articles written about me

- I published 2 articles in a large newspaper

- I was a judge at a hackathon

Hi Peter, thanks for doing this!

We have a co-founder who is from the UK. We are a Delaware company. Is there an easy way for 1/ paying him and 2/ taking SEIS investment from UK investors? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding what an immigration attorney knows about

I’m a citizen of an EU country that meets the Visa Waiver criteria. I’m working for a startup based in the USA. I’m one of the earliest employees, hence a great asset to the company. I’m considering emigrating sometime in the future but I’m unsure what needs to happen to enable it. Is a company-sponsored visa the only option? How inclined are startup founders to sponsor work visas? I’m convinced this is not attainable now, we’ve got a product to build, I’m only speculating for “when we make it”. Separately, how are startup employees treated when it comes to trying to convert the work visa to a green card? The definitions for EB-1, EB-2 are very interpretable. Thank you!

I am married to an american but we are leaving abroad and we never started the process for me to get a green card as we didn't plan to move to the US yet. Is it true that when I apply and get the card I then have a limited amount of time to move in, and if I don't then I would have to start the whole process again?

I've been really curious about the economics of US immigration for foreign workers in information work (software, data, etc).

What are the primary drivers of someone wanting to immigrate to the US vs working remotely, and on the corporate side what is the incentive to sponsor immigration with great outsourcing available? Obv. Hardware or physical professions are NOT the same. Personally, I'm happy to move for work, but many people seem reluctant to leaving their family, friends, and life for a job. How much of a factor does signaling play into it in your opinion? How much of a factor do business conditions in the United States impact things?

thank you peter for doing this. I am on H1B with 140 approved and EAD. What are my options if i want to leave my job and open a start up? how it would affect if my priority date becomes active?

My company is flying over architects / project members for design meetings from other countries for small meetings over the course of of a week. Does this usually require a work visa ?

I heard russian citizens were having troubles getting any kind of U.S. visa due to the political situation in the world. Does this situation still persists? Asking for a friend who still hasn't heard back for his tourist visa.

Are there opportunities for those of us in the USA to take in fiancés from other countries in the current climate? I'm currently in the dating circuit for women who have software engineering backgrounds and this situation has made me very nervous about how I'm going to actually bring a fiancé to the USA now.

Hi Peter, a European (Hungary) colleague of us visited Iran once and does not receive any Visa (tourist,...) because of that. He does not even receive answers to his renewed applications. Is there anything he can do?

> The H-1B program applies to employers seeking to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.

What do I need to become a fashion model?

I’m on an H1B visa since 2017. I extended in 2021 and again in 2023 (thanks to approved I-140). But my visa stamp in my passport is from 2017 which expired in 2020. I haven’t made efforts to get another stamp mainly because of the pandemic in 2020 and long appointment backlogs thereafter.

Is there a necessity to always keep a valid visa stamp in my passport? Apart from the ease of travel are there any other reasons to always keep a current visa stamp in my passport? I do have all valid I-797 documents of status and have kept my status current all the time.

did a startup -- had wrong visa class -- angry employee called CBP -- got picked up passing through JFK -- 10 year ban -- is permission to reapply actually a thing or a dead-end process? -- thanks --

A few questions regarding the EB-5 visa. Is this still a realistic path to a green card, and if so, how complicated is the process if you want to take the targeted economic area route through a regional center? Do the investments through a regional center usually persist, or in other words, how high is the risk of the underlying business going bankrupt based on real experiences? There's plenty of articles about all of this online of course, but would be interested in hearing any first hand experience you might have.

My friend is on h1b. Can he join me as a co founder?

He has done zero work/contribution so far because he is tied to his sponsor.

I would like to have him as a co founder and would like any advice you can offer. Thanks!

Hi Peter, Thanks for doing this. I am a Canadian citizen born in India and recently moved to work for a FAANG company on a TN visa from Canada.

The company is asking if I want to apply for a H1B visa this year. Are there any obvious advantages of H1B other than eligibility for green card.

Given the current political climate, is there any projections on how work visas might change going forward.

Hey Peter, been reading these threads for a while and really appreciate your support. I'm on STEM OPT and I want to keep my options open in case I don't get an H1b by the time it ends. What realistically are my options without affecting my future chances at a green card? I've heard that pathways like Day 1 CPT can lead to future I140 denials, which make me skeptical of going down that route.

If I have a candidate on a h1B at another company that I want to hire, what is the process to get them started at my company?

If a US very early-stage startup hires a Canadian and grants them restricted common stock (similar to what founders get), what are the implications for them (1) from a Canadian tax perspective* and (2) if they move to the US later on*?

*(1) e.g. is there anything like the 83(b) election or similar.

*(2) how do 83(b)s work for folks that might move to the US later, especially given "might" ?

Hi Peter,

My wife has a green card, and has since October of 2021. We have filed the paperwork for her to get citizenship in November of last year, but of course these things take time to process.

Due to the anti-immigration rhetoric of the incoming Trump administration (particularly against Mexico), I am extremely worried that this might end up with delays or even a halting of the citizenship process.

Are my fears founded?

I am on a TN visa and recently got a promotion which elevated my title but largely kept my responsibilities the same. My old title had the name of my TN profession in it, the new one is adjacent but does not. Could this cause issue? I travel with the form I received from USCIS through mail-in TN renewal.

Related, I’m waiting in the green card backlog with a completed PERM. Will this title change affect that?

Great questions and comments. Thank you! I'm taking a break until around 3 pm EST and then will return for several more hours.

Hi Peter, Thank you so much for doing this.

I just moved to the USA as J2-Dependant. I have already submitted form I-765 to get a work permit (EAD) but this can take between 3 and 4 months. A European company that just opened an office in the USA would love to hire me but might not want to wait that long. Is there anyway to speed up the process by them sponsoring me?

I am filing an EB1-A petition with a law firm. The law firm says that based on their recent experience, EB1-A cases that have requested Premium Processing (PP) have a lower approval rate and a higher RFE rate.

While the statistic may be true, is there a causation between PP and RFE/denial or is it just that cases created in a rush with PP might simply get more RFE or denial?

Thanks

Thanks, so many interesting answers. As an European working for a US tech company - regular visiting but world traveler as my passion. Is there officially a list of countries one should not visit (just tourism) that could harm career prospects while working for a US company for visas? Thank you.

What's your outlook on work green-card timelines for the next 2 years, esp. given the recent change in administration?

I got 221g administrative processing denial for L1-B recently. I work at FAANG. From your experience is there any chance that this will clear itself soonish or that's kinda the end of the story? I know a few stuck waiting for more than a year. Is such an outcome likely for me?

Do you think nonimmigrant worker petition adjudication is stricter at land borders, pre-flight inspection stations by CBP as compared to a filing with USCIS?

How common is it for CBP to deny entry / readjudicate a petition if a worker has an approved USCIS petition and an approval notice?

Two Canadian cofounders want to start a company in the USA, is O-1 the only option? Is TN a possibility?

What are my possibilities to work a tech job in the US (I do have a company that’s willing and able) but I don’t have a college degree, how likely is it that I can find a way.

some incomplete notes on my recent o1 . i recommend minn at lighthousehq, tell her i said hi https://github.com/swyxio/swyxdotio/issues/477

Hi Peter, I am wondering what's the best way to move from O1 to Green Card? I have my own startup which has sponsored by O-1 visa but need to get a green card to stay in the Bay Area long term. I am a Canadian Citizen if that helps.

What are your thoughts on the future of the Laken Riley Act's provisions on empowering State AGs to sue the federal government over immigration enforcement, both in terms of constitutionality and in terms of outcomes if signed into law and upheld?

Hi Peter, I'm planning on doing a Master's in the US starting Fall 2025 - is it a completely bad idea?

Just curious... are H1-B holders still tied to their employer or have the conditions relaxed?

Can anyone point me to some current (human readable not legalese) explanation of what you can do with the H1-B?

Thanks for doing this, Peter. What is a good route for an English national looking to move their profitable software business to the US? E-2? Would this be a path to long-term tax residency in America?

What is an approximate cost of all fees and expenditures given the premium processing in Bay Area for a company which wants to hire H1B from another one?

Hi, Can I start an own company on OPT? Also, can I maintain both my job and running the start-up, and if so, how would I have to structure it?

What are potential challenges to getting an employment-sponsored EB2 visa, as an EU citizen with a Master's degree and more than 5 years of relevant work experience?

What’s your perspective on when the EB-3 and EB-2 rest-of-world priority dates will move into 2024, considering they haven't changed much since April 2023?

I am a Indian software developer and i currently work as in a YC Startup, how hard to find a job in a US? Should I try or its better to find Indian companies?

If you get an O1 visa, does it have an expiration date? Or can I use it later (in a few years, e.g. when the baby grows a bit older)?

hi Peter, thanks for doing this. My parents were rejected twice for B1/B2 visa (under section 214b I think) - both times before I was a LPR (I had valid visa). Recently the country of citizenship was announced to be joining VWP - as one of the question is "have you even been refused US visa", is it a lost battle for them?

I have an idea for a startup in which the current company that I am a full-time employee for could be a potential customer. It would be a tool to facilitate some of the workflow that we've had an issue with, but nothing related to the industry in which we operate. We didn't really sign a non-compete or an NDA, but I am very curious if there is some kind of basic guideline for potential conflict of interest in a situation like this. Besides the immediately obvious things like never work on it with company equipment or during work hours.

Hi Peter, I am moving to US with a L1A visa, and my family L2. I can apply for EB1-C directly after arriving to US?

Thanks Peter. With an American wife, and an Australian Passport, what would you recommend as the best path to move to the US?

What percentage of new STEM hires are immigrants and what percentage are US citizens or greencard holders?

Will YC and startups be more or less agreeable on remote work? Will the new administration cause changes to remote work?

Can you describe the changes that we are anticipated to see as a result of the change in the administration?

Any advice for online forum operators regarding the UK Online Safety Act taking effect in March?

Hi Peter,

First of all, I wanted to thank you for taking the time and offering your help for the community! I had a couple of questions. For context, I'm Iranian and I've been a green card holder for the past 10 years, 5 of which I've been residing continuously inside the US.

1. I'm planning to apply for my citizenship this summer. Do you think there would be any complications with my naturalization given the current political climate and that Trump's now in office? Since my green card is also expiring around that time, would you recommend that I request its renewal separately or would I be fine waiting to apply for citizenship right away?

2. After obtaining my citizenship, I'm also planning to petition a visa for my fiancé (which is also an Iranian living inside Iran). Do you think that request would still be processed same as before during this new administration? Would requesting for a spouse visa be any better if we were to get married sooner?

3. Would it be any better if my fiancé were to apply for a college/university in the US instead? I'm asking this because I've heard rumors that Trump would be much easier on student visas than immigration visas.

I'm working on my O1 visa and I'm nervous about my portfolio. I'm a developer with plenty of experience, but never spoke at conferences, blogged, or was public. I hires lawyers for the paperwork, but the publicist they recommended me started doing “articles” that just scream fake. I decided to get my own, real stuff instead.

What things are the best from POV of effort/benefit? Open source projects, talks, podcasts, blogging, posts on community sites like devs? Trying to build my own dev-centric twitter, YouTube, something else? I know how to build stuff, but I know very little about all of this stuff.

How much do you expect to fight the government in the next 4 years?

As an employer of those under TPS how would you plan for Trump possibly overturning TPS protections under his admin? Anything we can do to prepare?

Hi Peter. Thanks again for doing this. Life saver.

I am an Australian citizen looking to do my Masters in Computer Science in the US, and live there afterwards. I particularly want my green card so I can work at SpaceX / Starlink / other companies that require it.

Would the path be:

F-1 during masters, get a job offer in the US, E-3 sponsored by said job, GC?

Also, what is the rough time frame from E-3 being granted to GC being granted?

Cheers!

Any idea how the executive orders will effect trans people renewing their passports?

A trans friend already changed the gender marker on his passport, and it's expiring in two years. He's deciding whether to renew it ASAP or wait. Any guess how likely it is to come back with the wrong gender marker, or get stuck in a bureaucratic mess?

Thank you so much for doing these! No worries if this question is outside your wheelhouse.

Unclear to me why this info can't be (at this point it's the 20th AMA by Peter Roberts) in a faq format.

Sure it's helpful. But it seems on the surface to be lead generation for an attorney and

I'm sure there are tons of other professionals (legal or otherwise) that would like the same free advertising.

Are there any pitfalls to prepare for or avoid for people trying to get their parents permanent residency/green cards?

Do you believe there are such a thing as nations, or merely different economic zones?

Right now there are many cases with visa administrative processing taking several years after o1 approval. Any changes expected here?

How's it going?

How will the landscape likely change with the new administration given Trump says he likes legal immigration and DOGE aims to reduce red tape?

What is required for an H1B visa, and are any accepted from Russia?

My sister is trying to do AOS we have DACA, and a legal entry, but also multiple entries, she is married to a USC. Is there another way to adjust to residency that we do not know of?

We are working to apply for n-565 for my mother in law who has been a working American citizen for 50 years. She now needs naturalization records to apply for Real Id and continue domestic travel.

The issue is that she had a divorce and name change, and we can’t find her name change record with the county superior court. N565 requires the name change evidence

We have tried FOIA request to US CIS and no records were found

Can we use her 50 year social security contribution record as evidence of the name change ? What other pieces of evidence could we present ?

Is there a hearing or more dynamic forum we could present the case to ? The forms for naturalization and real id have narrow and rigid qualifications .

Are there really not enough qualified American born engineers? Do you see exponentially better talent from H1b engineers?

Do you have any hobbies?

I have a friend who is a foreigner, and is in a master's CS degree program in the US. He's married to an American woman as of a few months ago.

What is the reasonable amount of time it should take for him to be able to get a green card and work here in the US?

And is there something he can do to help expedite any process(es) (maybe not a greencard?) so he can legally work and support himself and his new family?

What is the typical route for Canadians to work in the US tech sector?

No

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Do you feel the H1B system denies jobs to Americans or suppresses wages for those with jobs?

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How do you square away your relationship with Y Combinator, which has been by all means positive, with the eager collaboration of its leadership with the most anti-immigrant administration in history?

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Yeah, so, any chance you could do a monthly-or-so post that explains, in legal terms (of course!) why referring to an entire, diverse bunch of people as "H1Bs" (which, as you know, is just a visa class and pretty much, as you also know, the only path to legally entering the US as an immigrant without family ties or, well, the future-Head-Guy-or-one-of-his-cronies fancying you) is, like, a crime against humanity?

Because that has always been a trope amongst HN commenters (a large subset of which is supposed to be future HN founders), and it bothers me. A lot.

Dupe