Sophie Alcorn

With more than 750,000 H-1B registrations this year, is it realistic for my startup to consider hiring candidates who are seeking them?

Here’s another edition of “Ask Sophie,” the advice column that answers immigration-related questions about working at technology companies. “Your questions are vital to the spread of knowledge that allows people…

Is there anything I should know about the J-1, particularly if I later decide to stay in the U.S. once the J-1 program ends?

Over the last year and a half or so, we helped several team members relocate from Ukraine and Russia. How do we bring them here?

Do I need to get two separate visas to work at two companies at the same time? Can I transfer my H-1B to one or both companies?

Approximately how much time and money will we need to set aside for the H1-B transfer process? Are there alternatives?

Can’t the Department of State/USCIS track the interfiled applications between EB-2 and EB-3 and move the dates accordingly?

To qualify for a EB-1A green card, I’ll need to travel internationally frequently for business. Once I apply, will I be stuck in the U.S.?

I’m an international student graduating this month, but the company I was supposed to start working for on OPT has rescinded my job offer.

What type of visa can we get to come to the U.S. that allows us to stay there so we can grow our startup after the accelerator ends?

What do you think about applying for an EB-1A straight away without first using the O-1A as a stepping stone?

I’m planning to stay in the U.S. for a couple of months, but I just realized that my passport expires in September. Should I delay my trip?

One day, my dream would be to create my own startup in the U.S. Is there any groundwork I am allowed to lay to make my dream come true?

A reader asks for help determining how long their wait for a green card will be, how to parse the State Department’s Visa Bulletin and more.

Two of my colleagues and I were laid off, and we’re founding a company together. What do we need to do to transfer their H-1Bs and green cards to our…

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services received enough electronic lottery registrations to max out the number of H-1Bs that can be allocated in the new fiscal year.

We really need to be on the ground to interview our ideal users in the U.S. What visas will allow us to do that?

I worked in the U.S. on an L-1B for a year, and then changed to an H-1B before I moved back to India. What are my options for returning?

How many people are employers going to register in the H-1B lottery this year? Will there be fewer because of all of the layoffs?

What are my options for changing my immigration status so I can work at a startup in the U.S. within a year or two?

How long will it take to get an interview for an H-1B visa stamp? Am I eligible for a visa interview waiver? How do I get one? Can I do…

I’m from New Zealand and have a B2B SaaS company with many clients in the U.S. We don’t currently have a U.S. office, but we pay our taxes there. Do…

I’ve heard that articles in publications about an entrepreneur or a startup can be a big plus when applying for an O-1A or H-1B visa. Is that true?

When will the visa application fee hikes come into effect? Are there any other immigration-related changes coming this year?

Can I change my L-1B visa to an H-1B with a different company? My understanding is that L visas are restricted to working only with the issuing company.

We’re considering bringing on a co-founder on an H-1B with a grace period that will expire soon. What are our fastest, least risky options?

My employer will sponsor me in the H-1B lottery in March. Can you share any tips for presenting a strong H-1B case if I’m selected? If I’m not selected, then…

How can I transfer my H-1B visa to my startup? How do we structure the startup for immigration success?

Can the EAD process be expedited? Do employees have to stop working if they don’t receive their new EAD card before the old one expires?