Ask HN:Founder Visa query

Posted by kodeshpa on Monday November 22, 2010 @11:51PM
from the ask-hn dept.

Guys , i am grad student on F1 visa about to get my OPT next month. I am working on project and willing to form a company. I read through several sites and get different answers about VISA limitations for students on F1.

Please guide me or point me to right resources so can get proper information to take next step.

( 8 comments | 13 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by anigbrowl on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @01:26AM (#1932782)

A lawyer. Get one, now. I can't give you legal advice, but I can observe that you essentially have 90 days to get a job, followed by 60 days to get out of the US if you don't succeed. Self-employment generally does not qualify.

Don't procrastinate, you can get in real trouble if you do not observe the deadline requirements. Get legal advice, ASAP. Not on the internet, from a real person who specializes in that area of law. A consultation is well worth a few hundred bucks. Start here: http://www.ailalawyer.com/

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by kodeshpa on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @02:03AM (#1932858)

Thanks a lot.

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Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by anigbrowl on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @02:55AM (#1932962)

Sorry I can't tell you more. I follow this area of law closely but am not qualified to advise anyone. Employment checks have increased significantly though, especially in STEM, so it pays to have your paperwork straight more than ever.

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Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by aditya on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @01:39AM (#1932811)

Theoretically, you can be self-employed on OPT: http://sait.usc.edu/ois/intl-students/f-1-employment/stem-op... And: http://www.murthy.com/news/n_empstu.html in practice, get an immigration lawyer to help...

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Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by kodeshpa on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @02:01AM (#1932853)

i read about it but they said you can form a company but can not work for it . Now its high time i need to get in touch with immigration lawyer.

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Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by rjawali on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @02:24AM (#1932898)

I got this but still at end it say check it "Most commonly, students want to know if they can start their own businesses while on OPT. The SEVP explained that it is possible to be self-employed, as long as the nature of the business relates to the student's degree program and the student is actively engaged in this business. If self-employed, the student must work full time. While not specifically stated, this is likely to be an area in which the documentation of employment and the nature of the activities could be reviewed closely. So consider the risks and discuss the possibilities with your immigration counsel."

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Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by DLaulkar on Monday November 22, 2010 @11:55PM (#1932579)

I agree, big confusion and different opinions floating around.Some say you can form a company but can not work for it. I am looking for some more info on it . Guys do help us

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Re:Ask HN:Founder Visa query by DLaulkar on Tuesday November 23, 2010 @02:08AM (#1932868)

If you are a founder of a company or already gone through this situation, please write your experience.

This is biggest problem with international student.

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