Alma

Nonbinary immigrants, read this A small but significant change just happened in U.S. immigration forms: - The term "noncitizen" has been replaced with "alien" - Gender options have been reduced to only "Male" and "Female" If you're nonbinary, this could mean delays or even rejection if your paperwork doesn’t match your legal documents. Here’s what you can do: - Make sure your application matches the gender on your legal documents to avoid complications. - Consult an immigration professional if you're unsure how this change affects you. USCIS has not clarified how this update will affect current or future cases. But if you're applying soon, it’s better to double-check your paperwork. And to know more about this change, click the link in comments. I have covered this and more immigration updates in details👇

This is what keeps us going - Another O-1 Visa Approved! Excited to share that Marcos Gaspar Brisson just received his O-1 approval through Alma! After initially facing hurdles with a different firm, he trusted us with his case—and I couldn’t be more proud of how smoothly the process came together this time. Marcos has been building incredible momentum at Kaizntree, and I’m beyond excited to see where his ambitions take him next. Thank you so much for the kind words! We know how valuable time is for founders, which is why we can help prepare your application in just two weeks—and as founders ourselves, we understand what’s at stake. If you’re exploring the O-1 route or any other startup visa, I’m here to help. Let’s make your vision a reality!

USCIS just got sued—and lost Imagine spending months on an immigration petition—only to have it rejected because you used the “wrong” form version. That’s exactly what USCIS did. - Overnight, they dropped new forms (like I-485 and N-400). - They immediately rejected older versions. - No warning. No transition period. Immigration attorneys then sued USCIS—and won. Now, USCIS has backed down: - You have 30 days after a form update to use the old version. - If you recently submitted a form, you’re safe. - This may seem like a small administrative fix, but for many immigrants, this change prevents needless rejections that could cost them years. And to stay ahead of these changes? Check the comments—I’ve got something for you.👇

A new executive order (EO 14159) is bringing back an old policy—mandatory registration for non-citizens in the U.S. The last time we saw this was during World War II. What this means for you? - If you're 14 or older, you must register (unless you already did when applying for a visa) - Parents must register kids under 14 - Everyone registered has to carry proof of registration at all times This could mean more scrutiny for: - Undocumented individuals - Visa overstays - and those on temporary status Most visa holders, green card applicants, and those with I-94s are already considered "registered." But millions of others are not—including those who entered on visa waivers, border crossing cards, or without inspection. We break it all down in our latest newsletter. Check the link in the comments👇

We're #hiring a new Immigration Paralegal in Palo Alto, California. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Earlier this month, USCIS quietly announced a 30-day grace period for older versions of immigration forms after being sued by immigration attorneys.
Here's what happened: USCIS dropped new versions of critical forms (including I-485 for green cards and N-400 for citizenship) with zero notice and immediately made them mandatory.
 No transition period. No warning. Just "surprise, your application is rejected!" This affects lives just because of an administrative hiccup. So what changed?

Under the new administration, official forms now replace "noncitizen" with "alien" and restrict gender options to just "male" and "female." What this means for you: - If you submitted forms in the past few weeks, USCIS will now accept them even if you used the previous versions.
 - If you're preparing applications now, you have about 30 days from when each form was released (roughly until early April) to use old versions.
 - If you identify as nonbinary or transgender, to avoid rejection, select what’s closest to your legal documents.

Founder: "I've raised funding from top angel investors. Does that qualify me for an extraordinary visa or green card?" Real answer: No. Here’s why: You need to have received an award and angel investments don’t count as awards. Angel investors are individuals, not professional institutions, and their investments are not considered national or international awards for excellence. Venture funding MIGHT qualify. VC funding is highly competitive (less than 1% of startups raise venture capital), and it can be considered an award. But you need a substantial amount of funding. What other awards qualify? - Recognitions from national or international institutions. - Prestigious PhD scholarships. - Awards from major conferences or industry associations. Bottom line: Angel funding alone won’t get you an extraordinary visa. Want to know what does? DM me.

We're #hiring a new Product Manager in India. Apply today or share this post with your network.

A lot of founders who work with us are already in top accelerators BUT we thought what If we could help more founders get there? I mean we've been accepted into top accelerator programs such as StartX, NVIDIA Inception, NFX fast, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Accelerator, Embed by Conviction and have raised $5.5M of funding so far - so, we get it! We've been on a similar path as you. Next week, we're partnering up with Rohan Varma from Clarity to host an event for early-stage founders and aspiring entrepreneurs looking to break into top US startup accelerators and secure their first funding round. Rohan has been part of top accelerators such as Y Combinator and Pear VC. At Alma, we don’t see ourselves as just immigration attorneys—we’re your partners on the path. And that path isn’t just about visas; it’s thriving as an international founder in the US. Register here (dinner is on us): https://lu.ma/uufhnsj1

So excited to share that Vijay Krishnan, Co-founder and CTO of Turing will be joining us for our SF event next week! Vijay is a serial entrepreneur and tech leader whose work at Turing.com is transforming the AI landscape. Turing enables companies like OpenAI, Google, Nvidia, Meta, and Microsoft to advance their capabilities through expert human data. We're teaming up with z21 Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank to bring you this panel. Raj Shekhar Singh, the Co-founder and GP at z21 Ventures, will be joining us as well. Oh, and did I mention dinner's on us? 🍽️ Stay tuned for the full lineup, dropping later this week! Sign up -(https://lu.ma/7h9ddn2z)