The Seattle Times
September 11, 2012
Russian businessman Denis Kiselev was the subject of an Aug. 30 story in The Times for a milestone in Seattle business: Under a new federal policy, he was sponsored for an H-1B visa by a company he started himself. For the company, SnapSwap Inc., to ask that its creator be allowed to work in America is neatly circular.
A problem? Not to Kiselev. “I am creating jobs for Americans,” he said.
That’s a good thing — and can be frustrated by U.S. immigration law.
Kiselev, 47, is one of several would-be founders trying to sprout companies at SURF Incubator, a Seattle home for digital entrepreneurs. “SURF” is an acronym for Start Up Real Fast, which is what its tenants are trying to do. And it’s difficult when you’re a foreigner.
