Being a stone’s throw from Canada means Buffalo gets a lot of interest from Ontario startups looking to access US markets. How exactly to navigate this however can be overwhelming. A founder needs to consider both US and their domestic business laws along with their interplay with immigration laws.
While there are a number of options for cross-border founders, we often see startups take advantage of L visas which permit a visa for key personal in affiliate subsidiaries here in the United States. Of course, these ventures must consider issues like jurisdiction, protection of intellectual property, labor laws, tax consequences (especially income allocated to a foreign entity), etc. There is no shortage of considerations and navigating them without counsel can be daunting to say the least. It's important to have both immigration and corporate counsel who can help guide you.
