“Hopefully, Musk Understands the Role of Visas for Innovations”
Visa hurdles could return with Trump’s win, but immigration attorney Charlotte Danielsson is keeping her fingers crossed that Silicon Valley voices like Elon Musk will push for a smoother path this time.
Silicon Valley Nordic Beat spoke with attorney Charlotte Danielsson about the potential impacts of yesterday’s U.S. election results on Nordic businesses in Silicon Valley.
Do you foresee any challenges ahead with securing visas?
“During Donald Trump’s prior term, it became much more burdensome to apply for all types of business and employment-related visas.”
“The amount of evidence requested was unlike anything I have experienced in my 26 years of law practice. The USCIS was overburdened with all of the extra documentation, so everything significantly slowed down in terms of processing, which, of course, affected innovation businesses negatively.”
“My office is preparing for the same situation this term, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that with more Silicon Valley knowledge in Trump’s administration this time—through Elon Musk and J.D. Vance—that maybe the critical role these types of visas play in America’s innovation ecosystem will be understood, and we won’t have a repeat of Trump’s last term.”
How do you think Nordic interests in Silicon Valley will be impacted?
“I do not think the election results will impact current Nordic interests in Silicon Valley in any major way.”
What advice would you give to companies with a stake in the region?
“Plan well in advance to ensure smooth business operations.”
Charlotte Danielsson is an attorney and the founder of Infiniti Law in San Francisco, focusing on corporate law, immigration law, and market entry services for tech companies.