Welcome to another installment of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column dedicated to addressing immigration questions relevant to the technology sector.

Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration lawyer, emphasizes, “Your inquiries are essential for disseminating knowledge, enabling individuals globally to overcome geographical limitations and realize their ambitions.” She extends an invitation to those in people operations, founders, or job seekers in Silicon Valley to submit their questions for consideration in a future column.

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Dear Reader,

I extend my sincere gratitude for your participation in the development of “Dear Sophie” throughout this past year. As I consider the Thanksgiving holiday, I am thankful for the collective understanding we’ve all gained in 2020. We are all interconnected, irrespective of our place of birth or current location. This year has brought significant, transformative events, helping us to clarify our desires and priorities, and I am optimistic that our future experiences will be enriched as a result.

Reflecting on the past year, I commend President Trump’s efforts to modernize the H-1B lottery process through digitization.

Looking ahead, I am encouraged by President-elect Biden’s commitment to expanding access to immigration opportunities. I am confident that the Biden-Harris administration will champion the United States’ heritage as a land of opportunity, embracing our immigrant roots, welcoming newcomers, and recognizing the valuable contributions of immigrants to a better world.

There is much for which to be grateful:

I value my readers and the insightful messages and feedback I receive regarding this column, including your questions and suggested topics. I also appreciate TechCrunch and Extra Crunch for providing this platform to share my insights, experiences, and expertise.

I am thankful for all of our clients worldwide whom we have successfully assisted. Despite challenging moments this year, we were able to achieve positive outcomes, and I appreciate their contributions to the U.S. economy through the creation of innovative startups and health solutions in Silicon Valley and beyond.

I am grateful for my exceptional team at Alcorn Immigration Law and our collective successes in helping individuals live and work in the U.S. and achieve their goals. Furthermore, I appreciate the creation of our “64 Questions to Ask Your Immigration Attorney” checklist, designed to guide individuals when selecting immigration counsel. I also value the opportunity to share my knowledge through my podcast, Immigration Law for Tech Startups—this week’s episode focuses on the theme of appreciation!

Finally, I am grateful for my fulfilling profession. I have the privilege of assisting individuals from around the globe in realizing their aspirations. It is both humbling and inspiring to hear my clients’ stories, hopes, and dreams. Developing and implementing tailored immigration strategies to align with their unique circumstances, priorities, and timelines is a complex and rewarding challenge.

A significant aspect of my role as an immigration attorney is the trust our clients place in us to navigate the U.S. immigration system and help them achieve their objectives. We celebrated numerous significant legal victories this year:

I commend the client who held an E-2 Visa for Treaty Investors as an employee. He was eager to join an early-stage startup but faced the challenge of securing expedited approval during the pandemic while also providing adequate notice to his current employer. Recognizing the inherent risk, I am proud of our team’s successful petition for the startup to sponsor him under the O-1A Visa for Extraordinary Ability.

I also acknowledge the aspiring startup founder we assisted in achieving independence from a corporate employer by facilitating his self-petition for a green card. We successfully obtained approval for his EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) exceptional ability green card.

I am also pleased that we successfully supported a prospective startup co-founder in remaining in the U.S. while maintaining his position in the green card process. A prominent VC required him to immediately transition to full-time work with the early-stage startup before committing $6 million in investment. This founder previously held an L-1A Visa for Intracompany Transferee Managers and Executives and wished to avoid jeopardizing his ongoing green card application. We efficiently transitioned him to the new company and secured green card portability, allowing him to focus on the startup and his family.

Despite the closure of most U.S. consulates, I appreciate that we were able to help our client secure an E-3 Visa interview, obtain visa approval, and relocate to the U.S., even amidst the pandemic.

Notably, we assisted a client in avoiding a two-year return to her home country after her J-1 Educational and Cultural Exchange Visa was nearing expiration, coinciding with impending layoffs at her employer. We guided her through the green card process, including interview preparation with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and accompanied her to the interview. Instead of being forced to leave the U.S., she is now celebrating her permanent residency.

These are just a few examples of many similar success stories.

I am also grateful for the launch of our first online immigration course, Extraordinary Ability Bootcamp. Many of our client successes are rooted in options such as the O-1A nonimmigrant visa, as well as the EB-1A extraordinary ability green card and the EB-2 NIW green card. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my knowledge through a series of classes designed to help individuals meet the criteria for U.S. immigration.

This Thanksgiving, I hope you experienced a similar sense of appreciation for the people and experiences in your life. I feel optimistic and enthusiastic about the future and what lies ahead. 2020 has demonstrated that we have the power to choose our feelings, and we can always choose to love and appreciate unconditionally. New opportunities are emerging that will benefit us all.

Thank you for being a part of “Dear Sophie.”

Joyfully,

Sophie

Do you have a question? Submit it here. We reserve the right to edit your submission for clarity and/or brevity. The information provided in “Dear Sophie” is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For further details regarding the limitations of “Dear Sophie,” please review our complete disclaimer here. You can reach Sophie directly at Alcorn Immigration Law.

Sophie’s podcast, Immigration Law for Tech Startups, is available on all major podcast platforms. She is currently accepting applications for potential guests!