Start for free

Build your company here. Let us handle the visa.

Founders, investors, and executives have paths built for ambition, from E-2 to O-1 to EB-1A. See which one fits your story in a free 8-minute check, then get introduced to attorneys who build these cases.

Start for free See how it works

The hardest part isn't the vision. It's proving it on paper.

You've raised the round, built the team, and made the case to investors. Now you have to make it to a different audience, the U.S. government, in a language of evidence and precedent. You're not sure whether E-2, O-1, or EB-1A is your route, or which attorneys handle founder and investor petitions. A founder's time is too valuable to lose to the wrong path.

Clarity at every step.

See the route that fits your story.
A free 8-minute check shows whether E-2, O-1, EB-1A, or an investor route is your strongest path, in plain language.
Get introduced to attorneys who build these.
Get introduced to attorneys who handle founder and investor petitions, with their credentials and the cases they handle in front of you.
Turn your achievements into evidence.
Organize your press, your letters, your metrics, and your milestones in one place built to make the strongest possible case.
Move fast, with no surprises.
Premium processing where it helps, a clear view of cost and timeline, and a profile that carries forward to your green card.

Which path applies to your situation.

Every route leads to a deeper explainer built for your situation. Not sure? The free check shows which paths may apply.

We speak founder, and we speak USCIS.

You're used to betting on yourself and winning. The immigration system doesn't reward hustle, it rewards evidence, framed exactly right. We built Immigration Pathways so founders and investors can put the visa on autopilot and get back to building.

Why people trust Immigration Pathways.

Attorneys experienced in founder and investor cases.
Attorneys you're introduced to handle founder and investor petitions every day, with their credentials and the cases they handle in view.
Guidance built for your case.
Built specifically for immigration, our technology turns extraordinary-ability and investment requirements into clear, accurate steps.
Nothing hidden.
Track your petition, documents, and next steps anytime. No more paying and waiting in silence.
The honest truth.
Your information stays protected, and we tell you straight whether a path is realistic, even when it isn't what you hoped to hear.

Three steps to clarity.

A clear path from your first question to an attorney experienced in your situation, with everything in one place.

  1. 01

    Step one.

    Check your eligibility.

    Answer a few questions and get a free read on whether E-2, O-1, or EB-1A is your strongest path.

    Check my eligibility
  2. 02

    Step two.

    Build your profile.

    Organize your evidence, your press, and your metrics once, in one place built to make your case.

    Get guidance
  3. 03

    Step three.

    Get introduced to a vetted attorney.

    Work with an attorney experienced in founder and investor petitions, in one shared space.

    Start building my case

Get back to building.

You'll know your strongest route, you'll have an attorney experienced in cases like yours, and you'll watch your petition come together with no surprises. The visa stops being a distraction and becomes one more thing handled, so you can focus on the company.

Start for free

FAQ

Which visa is right for a startup founder?

There's no dedicated founder visa, which is why this takes some thought. O-1A is the most common route for founders with funding, press and a documented record. E-2 works if you hold treaty country nationality and are investing in a business you'll direct. L-1A fits if you already run a genuinely related company abroad and are opening a US office. EB-2 NIW and EB-1A are self-petitioned green cards, valuable because they don't tie your status to one company. And H-1B is now squarely available to founders: the modernization rule effective January 2025 permits a beneficiary who holds a controlling interest in the petitioning company, provided you perform specialty occupation duties a majority of the time, with initial and first extension approvals limited to eighteen months rather than the usual three years.

Can I self-petition without a company sponsoring me?

Yes. EB-1A and EB-2 NIW are true self-petitions, no employer, no job offer, no labor certification, and for founders the appeal is that your status doesn't ride on a company you may pivot, sell or wind down. O-1 isn't a self-petition in that sense, but a separate legal entity you own can file for you, which USCIS confirmed in a January 2025 policy update, with another officer signing on the company's behalf; a US agent can also petition if you work across several ventures. And under the controlling-interest provisions, H-1B through your own company is possible too. Self-employment is much less of an obstacle than it's usually described as.

How much do I need to invest for an E-2?

There is no minimum, and this is the most common misconception about the category. The test is whether your investment is substantial in proportion to the cost of buying or establishing that particular enterprise, and sufficient to make its successful operation likely, so a service business can meet it at a figure that would be nowhere near substantial for a capital-intensive one. The funds must be genuinely at risk and irrevocably committed; uncommitted money sitting in a bank account isn't an investment. The business can't be marginal, meaning it must generate more than a living for you and your family, or else have a significant economic impact in the US. You need treaty country nationality, and at least half the enterprise must be owned by treaty country nationals.

What counts as extraordinary ability for an O-1 or EB-1A?

Both are assessed against a list of criteria, eight for O-1A, ten for EB-1A, of which you generally need to satisfy at least three: recognized awards, membership of associations requiring outstanding achievement, published material about you, judging the work of others, original contributions of major significance, authorship of scholarly articles, a critical role for distinguished organizations, and high remuneration. EB-1A then adds a final assessment of the record as a whole. For founders, the evidence that carries weight is documentary: funding rounds with verifiable coverage, named press rather than syndicated listings, board and advisory roles, judging at accelerators or competitions, patents in use, and measurable adoption. Building that record deliberately over six to twelve months often changes the outcome.

How fast can this move with premium processing?

Premium processing is available on Forms I-129 and I-140 for an additional government fee, and it's worth being precise about what it buys. USCIS guarantees a response within fifteen calendar days for most classifications, or forty-five calendar days for EB-1C multinational manager and national interest waiver I-140s. A response can be an approval, a denial, a notice of intent to deny, or a request for evidence, so it guarantees an answer, not a decision in your favor. If an RFE is issued the clock stops and restarts when your response arrives. It also doesn't touch a consular appointment, a Visa Bulletin wait or a PERM certification, so it accelerates one step rather than the journey.

How do the attorney introductions work?

Once you've completed the eligibility check and created your profile to organize your information, we introduce you to licensed immigration attorneys whose practice covers your visa category and jurisdiction. Each attorney has been verified: bar admission, experience, and practice focus.


You review the introductions, choose who you'd like to speak with, and have your consultation. You are never obligated to hire anyone we introduce you to, and the attorney is never obligated to take your case. Immigration Pathways is not a law firm and not a lawyer referral service. We don't select an attorney for you or steer you toward one; we introduce you to attorneys whose stated practice covers your situation, and the choice is yours.

How much does the whole process cost?

There are two parts. The eligibility check and organizing your information on Immigration Pathways are free. Legal fees are set by the attorney you choose, agreed directly between you and them, and shown to you before you commit. Government filing fees are separate and set by USCIS and the State Department.


Attorneys on the platform quote fixed-scope fees wherever the case allows, so you know the cost of each stage up front rather than paying by the hour. We don't add a percentage to your attorney's fee, and we never charge you for an introduction.

Is this legal advice?

No. Immigration Pathways is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The eligibility check, the pathway information on this site, and anything our team tells you are general information to help you understand your options and organize your case. They are not a legal opinion about your situation, and using the platform does not create an attorney-client relationship with us.


Legal advice comes from the licensed immigration attorney you choose to work with. Your attorney–client relationship is with them, your communications with them are protected in the ordinary way, and they are responsible for your legal strategy and filings.