Ask HN: Raise money in the US and get a visa
I'm a French student currently legally working in the US for a year on a J-1 visa in a software development company. I also have an interesting side project that I would like to build and I was thinking of contacting angel investors to fund it. Before even dreaming of getting any funds, I was wondering if I could get any type of visa to stay here a least a year to build my start-up.
My plans would be like so:
- Contact angel investors go get funds during my J-1
- Go back to France and break my J-1 to finally ask for another visa that would allow me to work on my company in the US.
After doing some research, I found out that the E-2 visa would allow me to stay if I can get at least 100,000$, but it seems that I must own 51% of the company, so any american investor wouldn't fit. What if I find a French investor living in the US (I found at least 10 french angel investors in SF), would I be able to get the E-2 visa?
Can I get funds from US angel investors and build my company in my home country?
Thanks for the help!