Alma

O-1 visa approved for founding engineer at a YC startup! 🇺🇸 Mahinder is from the town of Nainital in India - now building AI-powered hardware compliance tools at Saphira AI (YC S24). From small-town roots to the heart of Silicon Valley. Alma is proud to support builders like him. If you're an engineer, researcher, or founder looking to join startups on a visa or starting up - Alma can help! Or if you're hiring your first employee on a visa - we'll make it really easy for you and give a 50% discount.

Stripe just relaunched Atlas for Indian founders to incorporate US startups. (link to guide in the comments). This is huge. Let me break down why this matters: 75,000 US companies incorporated through Stripe Atlas since launch. One-fifth of all Delaware incorporations last month were through Atlas. The numbers don't lie - founders want US entities. Here's what makes this interesting: Traditional law firms charge $5K+ for US incorporation Stripe Atlas: $500 setup + $100/year for registered agent That's a 90% cost reduction. But here's what most people miss about US incorporation: It's not just about access to capital (nearly 70% of all global VC funding). It's about optionality. US entity = easier fundraising from US VCs US entity = simpler customer contracts with US enterprises   US entity = cleaner exit scenarios The legal structure you choose at the beginning shapes everything that comes after. AND THAT INCLUDES IMMIGRATION. I've seen founders try to "fix" their entity structure later. It's expensive and messy. Getting it right from day one? Priceless. One caveat: incorporation is just step one. Immigration is next. Incorporation without immigration planning is like buying a car without getting a license. If you're incorporating in the US and need immigration support, we can help at Alma. The American startup ecosystem just got a little more global. Link to their guide in comments.

We're #hiring a new Head of Community & Insights in Palo Alto, California. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Huge thanks to Alma for making my O-1A seamless and stress-free! The team handled everything brilliantly and efficiently, providing expert guidance and VERY quick responses throughout the process. I couldn't be happier with their customer service and attention to details! If you're navigating the O-1 visa journey or other type of visas, I highly recommend Alma. Feel free to reach out, I’m happy to share my experience!

Big Immigration News: The Department of State just made a quiet policy change to its nonimmigrant visa interview waiver (aka "dropbox") program that will impact thousands of visa holders. Here's what's changing: Starting September 2nd, nearly all nonimmigrant visa applicants must now attend an in-person consular interview. Age-based waivers are going away. Currently, applicants under 14 and over 79 can often skip interviews. Not anymore. Only limited exceptions to the in-person interview requirement remain: - Diplomatic visa holders (A-1, A-2, G-1-G-4, NATO series, etc.) - People renewing B-1/B-2 tourist/business visas within 12 months of expiration For B visa renewals, you still need to: - Apply in your home country or country of residence - Never have been refused a visa before - Have no eligibility issues This is a big deal for anyone on H-1B, L-1, O-1 or other work visas. What this means in practice: That H-1B holder who originally came on an F-1 student visa? They now need an in-person interview. Embassy wait times are already lengthy in many countries. This policy change will create even more demand for interview slots. If you're planning international travel, here's what to do now: - Check your visa expiration date and factor in potential delays for interview scheduling - Consider whether your travel is truly necessary if your visa expires soon - Start the renewal process earlier than you normally would P.S. - If you're exploring work visa options like O-1, EB-1, H-1B etc. - reach out to Alma. Happy to take a look at your profile!

Immigration is getting expensive. The new immigration fees under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” just went into effect yesterday. Here are the ADDITIONAL fees now in place: Starting July 22, 2025, here's what's changing: ASYLUM APPLICATIONS (Form I-589): - NEW $100 filing fee (historically free) - PLUS $100 annual fee for every year your case is pending - Translation: A 3-year pending asylum case will cost $400 total WORK PERMITS (Form I-765): - $550 for initial applications - $275 for renewals - Validity periods are being shortened for asylum seekers, parolees, and TPS recipients This means more frequent renewals = higher total costs over time. TPS REGISTRATION: Increased by $500 Special Immigrant Juvenile petitions: $0 → $250 Fee waivers are also being eliminated for many categories and Forms submitted without correct fees after August 21st will be rejected outright. These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. The people most affected by these changes are often the ones least able to afford them. What are your thoughts on these new fee structures? p.s. - If you're navigating work visas or green cards like O-1, EB-1, H-1B etc. check out Alma. We file petitions is 2 weeks!

We've always believed Immigration shouldn’t get in the way of building a great team and today we're doubling down on that belief - Introducing Alma for Startups. What's the offer? 50% off legal fees for your first international hire with Alma (H-1B or TN visa) If you're a U.S. based, pre-seed or seed stage startup hiring an international employee — this is for you. Too many early-stage teams miss out on incredible talent because immigration feels too complex or expensive. We’re here to fix that. Let’s make it easier to build with the best — no matter where they’re from. Here's the link - https://lnkd.in/gzx4vUaY

Ramen Nagi in Palo Alto always has a massive line. So, we turned it into a growth experiment. Every time we leave the office, we bump into so many founders and engineers waiting here. A lot of them are Immigrants. So we thought - why not pitch Alma to them? If you're here, step into our "noodle-side office" and say hi 👋 (And yes, we're serious about the visa stuff too — 2-week turnaround, 99%+ approval rate.) Reach out to Alma if you're exploring work visa options for yourself or your new hires!

We're #hiring a new Founder's Office - Operations & Finance Associate in India. Apply today or share this post with your network.

As we scale Alma, we had to step back and ask: What would a modern product/services company look like? That led us to design what we now call the 6-Week Alma Experience: Week 1: No SDRs. One POC. Consultation focused. You talk directly to our consultation team. One person. 1-2 calls on avg. We understand your short and long term goals and share our opinion if you qualify for a visa type. Week 2–3: Onboarding + Petition Building We get you set up on our system and our experienced attorneys (no paralegals) start working immediately on your case. Week 4–5: Filing Done. Your petition is filed within two weeks. If you’ve opted for Premium Processing, we’re now waiting on USCIS. Week 6: Welcome to the Community You get a decision, Alma merch (that our clients genuinely love), and access to a growing community of ambitious immigrants - from there it's all events/warm intros/community building. We’re building more than a law firm — we’re building a partner for your entire journey. Thanks Charles for the shoutout and your move to SF 🇺🇸