Ask Sophie™: Do employees have to stop working until they get their EAD?

Dear Sophie, One of our employees is on an H-4 visa and has an Employment Authorization Document. It’s been five months since he filed to renew his EAD, which will expire next month. Is there any way to expedite this process? If he doesn’t receive his new EAD card before his old one expires, does […]

Ask Sophie™: When can I register my employee in the H-1B lottery?

Dear Sophie, We’re a pre-seed startup thinking about sponsoring an early employee’s H-1B visa to stay in the U.S. and work for us.  How does the process work? — Seeking in San Mateo Subscribe to Our Newsletter! Image Credits: Joanna Buniak / Sophie Alcorn TLDR: No, your startup does not need to work with an immigration attorney […]

Ask Sophie™: How to improve the chances for early-stage startups to get H-1Bs?

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 all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, […]

Ask Sophie™: How can I protect my H-1B and green card if I am laid off? & How can my startup hire laid off people on H-1B?

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 all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a […]

Ask Sophie™: Is it ok to use a visitor visa while holding an H-1B?

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 all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a […]

Ask Sophie™: What should we know about STEM OPT and H-1B lottery?

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 all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a […]

Ask Sophie™: Should co-founders on OPT, STEM OPT pursue H-1Bs?

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 all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a founder […]

Ask Sophie™: How to transfer a candidate’s H-1B and green card?

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 all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a founder […]

Ask Sophie™: I’m an H-1B lottery reject. How can I carry on?

I’m an H-1B lottery reject. How can I carry on? Dear Sophie, I earned my master’s degree in business analytics last year, and have been working for a company while on OPT since then. My employer entered me in the H-1B lottery last month, but I haven’t been selected. I heard that my degree now […]

Ask Sophie™: Supporting Ukrainians with H-1Bs and Beyond

Dear Sophie, We’re a startup that currently has an employee, who is originally from Ukraine, working for us on an H-1B visa. He is trying to get his parents out of Ukraine. We also entered a prospective Ukrainian employee who fled to Poland in the H-1B lottery, but he wasn’t selected yet. How can we […]