How to become an american citizen & sponsor a foreign spouse on a startup visa

Thankfully, it's become easier for some immigrants on a startup visa to remain and eventually citizenship. The “startup visa program,” which began in 2012, is an American government program designed to boost the country's startup economy by providing a way to create jobs with high-growth potential. In this post you'll learn everything you need to know regarding the engineering-related version of the program.

You'll also see how you can exploit the program to sponsor your spouse on a so-called “startup visa.

Can a startup sponsor green card?

The United States has a very generous immigration policy. However, not all immigrants are permitted to work in the U.S. Some are allowed to live here and enjoy the American Dream, while others are only allowed to visit. If you want to sponsor your spouse on a startup visa, then you first need to know if this is possible or not.

It is important that you understand exactly what a startup visa is and how it works before you proceed with your application. What Is A Startup Visa? A startup visa is an immigration status that allows foreign entrepreneurs to come and start their own business in the U.S., while they wait for their green card (permanent residence).

It is an alternative to the H-1B visa, which is usually used by employers to hire foreign workers for specific jobs or projects.

Can a startup sponsor h1b?

A startup can sponsor a foreign spouse on an H1B visa. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. This visa category applies to people who are highly qualified in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming. A startup can sponsor a foreign spouse on an H1B visa if the startup is considered a "small business" and the employee's job position meets the requirements of the H1B program.

In order to qualify as a small business, your company must have total annual gross revenue of less than $25 million USD or less than 50 employees within the U.S., including full-time equivalent employees. You may also qualify for exemption from this requirement if you have been in business for less than three years or have fewer than 10 employees worldwide; however, you must apply for exemption from this requirement with USCIS before filing your I-129 form (which is required for applying for an H1B).

If you meet these requirements and your employee's job position meets all other eligibility requirements of the H1B program, then yes — your startup can sponsor an H1B visa for your foreign spouse!

Can a startup sponsor l1-a?

Yes, a startup can sponsor an L-1A visa and the spouse of an L-1A visa holder. The L-1A visa is intended for foreign workers who are being transferred to the U.S. by their employer and will be employed by the company in question. The spouse of an L-1A visa holder is eligible to apply for a green card based on marriage to a U.S.

citizen and may be able to adjust status in the U.S., which means that no travel outside of the country is required. In order for your spouse to be eligible for a green card through marriage, you must have been married for two years or more at the time he or she applies for permanent residence status.

If you've been married less than two years, your spouse may still be able to apply for permanent resident status if he or she qualifies under what's known as "unmarried son or daughter" preference category (4th preference). In order to qualify under this category, your spouse must have resided with you before becoming eligible for permanent resident status and not have been absent from the U.S.

for more than six months at any given time during those two years (or three years if married less than two years).

Can a startup sponsor l1-b?

Yes, a startup can sponsor an L1-B. The employer must be a U.S. company or foreign subsidiary of a U.S. company. The foreign national needs to be employed by the startup and have worked for the company continuously for at least one year before applying for the visa, or have worked for the same employer for at least one year within the three years prior to filing an I-140 petition with USCIS (called concurrent filing).

If you are planning on sponsoring your spouse on an H-1B visa and are looking for employment at a startup, ask yourself whether your company is really hiring people directly from abroad or if it's using contractors (such as outsourcing firms). If you're hired as an employee directly by the startup, then it should be possible to get sponsorship from them (assuming they are willing).

If instead you are brought into the U.S. by an outsourcing firm on behalf of the startup and then hired by them after arriving in the U.S.

Can a startup sponsor o-1 or tn visa?

How to become an american citizen & sponsor a foreign spouse on a startup visa There are many ways to sponsor your spouse to come to the US. One of the easiest is through a Startup Visa, which is available to entrepreneurs who have raised capital from qualified investors. This article explains how you can use it to bring your partner over to America.

What’s a startup visa? A Startup Visa allows foreign entrepreneurs who have secured funding from qualified investors (such as angel investors) or venture capitalists to come and live in the United States for two years with the hope of creating jobs for American citizens. Who qualifies for a startup visa? Entrepreneurs who have raised at least $250,000 from qualified U.S.-based investors can apply for a “startup visa.” Investors include angel investors (those who invest less than $1 million in startups), venture capitalists (those who invest more than $1 million), or both types of investor combined as long as they’ve invested at least $500,000 in one startup company within two years prior to filing their application.

Can a spouse of f1 opt or j1 student work on an ead card and is that same spouse eligible for h4 ead after getting married on f1 opt or j1 visa?

F1 OPT, J1 Visa and H4 EAD A spouse of an F1 OPT or J1 student can work on an EAD card. However, the same spouse is not eligible for H4 EAD after getting married on F1 Opt or J1 visa. On the other hand, if you are in the United States as a Legal Permanent Resident or Permanent Resident Spouse of a US Citizen, you may be eligible to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to legally work in the United States.

You must file Form I-765 with USCIS and pay a fee. If approved, you will receive an EAD that allows you to work legally in the United States while your application is pending.

What about the eb5 program?

The EB-5 visa program is a popular way for wealthy investors to become permanent residents of the United States. The program allows foreign nationals to obtain a green card by investing at least $500,000 in an American commercial business and creating 10 jobs for U.S. workers within two years of receiving their visas.

The program has been under fire recently for alleged misuse and fraud, but it's still a legitimate way for foreign nationals to get their green cards quickly — especially if they have enough money to make a large investment. Here's what you need to know about the EB-5 visa program: What is the EB-5 visa program? The EB-5 visa program offers permanent residence to foreign investors who invest at least $500,000 in an American commercial enterprise and create at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S.

workers within two years of receiving their visas. Who qualifies for an EB-5 visa? To qualify for an EB-5 visa, you must be able to prove that you have invested at least $500,000 into a new commercial enterprise that will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 jobs within two years of receiving your green card (or sooner).

Who are the most common employers to sponsor green cards in the united states?

The most common employers to sponsor green cards in the United States are those that have a large number of employees. These include manufacturing companies, technology firms and other large businesses. Who Can Sponsor? A U.S. citizen or permanent resident can sponsor his or her spouse's application for a green card, but not all family members qualify.

For example, parents, siblings and adult children may be able to obtain permanent residency through their relationship with the sponsoring spouse, but unmarried children under 21 years old cannot. Sponsoring a Spouse's Green Card through a Startup Visa The startup visa program is intended for entrepreneurs who have raised investment capital for their business from qualified U.S.-based investors.

The investor must make an investment worth at least $250,000 in exchange for equity in the company; if the investment is made through an approved startup accelerator program, this amount can be reduced to $100,000.

Where are all these jobs that can sponsor green cards, anyway?

For many years, the employment-based green card (also known as a permanent resident card or a "green card") has been the most common way for foreigners to obtain a green card. However, it's expensive and time-consuming to get an employment-based green card, and there are strict limits on how many can be issued each year.

This means that many people aren't eligible for employment-based green cards, even if they have jobs lined up and employers willing to sponsor them. There is another option for people who have an offer of employment from a U.S.-based employer: the startup visa. The startup visa allows foreign entrepreneurs to come to the United States on a temporary basis so that they can build their businesses here.

Once those businesses are up and running, they can apply for permanent residence — which means getting their green card. In order to qualify for a startup visa, you must be able to prove that your business is viable and that you have at least $250,000 in investment capital or other forms of support (such as grants) available to fund it during its first 18 months in operation in the United States.

In Brief...

If you're a US citizen, you can sponsor your spouse to become a permanent resident (also referred to as a green card holder) by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. After you file the petition and supporting documents, your spouse will have to undergo certain background checks (including fingerprinting and security checks), which could take some time.

However, once everything is approved--and that usually does not take more than 6 months--your spouse will receive his or her permanent resident status and be issued an actual green card so he/she can live in the US permanently.