Sophie Alcorn
Contributor
Sophie Alcorn is the founding father of Alcorn Immigration Regulation in Silicon Valley and 2019 World Regulation Specialists Awards’ “Regulation Agency of the 12 months in California for Entrepreneur Immigration Companies.” She connects individuals with the companies and alternatives that increase their lives.
Extra posts by this contributor
Ask Sophie: My STEM OPT expires in 30 days, what are my choices?
Ask Sophie: Can I launch a startup if I’m within the US on a scholar visa?
Right here’s one other version of “Ask Sophie,” the recommendation column that solutions immigration-related questions on working at know-how firms.
“Your questions are important to the unfold of information that permits individuals all around the world to rise above borders and pursue their desires,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration legal professional. “Whether or not you’re in individuals ops, a founder or looking for a job in Silicon Valley, I’d like to reply your questions in my subsequent column.”
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Expensive Sophie,
I based a startup in Zimbabwe a number of years in the past. I deliberate to go to the US for the primary time subsequent month to take a look at the market and utilized for a customer visa.
I’m planning to remain within the U.S. for a few months, however I simply realized that my passport expires in September. I perceive that I have to have not less than six months left on my passport to be able to journey to the US.
Is that (nonetheless) true? Do I have to delay my journey?
— Hopeful in Harare
Expensive Hopeful,
Thanks for reaching out to me along with your questions! It’s so splendidly thrilling to listen to about your plans to go to the US for the primary time. Let’s dive proper in.
On the whole, sure, guests who’re touring to the US are required to have passports which are legitimate for not less than six months after the date they arrive within the U.S. Many nations have this six-month passport validity requirement.
Within the U.S., nonetheless, sure nations are exempt from the six-month requirement and residents of these nations solely have to have a passport that’s legitimate by way of the date of their keep within the U.S. Residents of Zimbabwe are exempt from the six-month rule, so so long as you permit the U.S. earlier than your passport expires, you’re coated! You don’t have to delay your journey!
Picture Credit: TechCrunch
Final month, U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP), which is accountable for border safety at U.S. airports and different ports of entry, issued an up to date listing of nations exempt from the six-month passport validity rule. Almost 130 nations, together with Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Taiwan, and Ukraine, are on that listing. China just isn’t exempt.
This six-month passport validity exemption solely applies to guests: These on a B-1 enterprise customer, a B-2 vacationer customer visa, or these on ESTA (Digital System for Journey Authorization), the U.S. Visa Waiver program. Sadly, residents of Zimbabwe are ineligible for the ESTA program, which allows residents of 40 nations to journey to the U.S. for enterprise for stays of 90 days or much less with out first acquiring a visa.