u/Gullible_Ad3807

Good night

I booked a 3 night stay in Cleveland. In the listing, it says the host uses a 3rd party site for screening and reservation. It also says they charge a standard security deposit or damage waiver. I figured this would be through Airbnb as I have seen others do this.

Today, I get a link for a 3rd party app, and not only are they asking for ID and other details. It's asking me to pay through the app and not Airbnb. I reach out to the host and ask if this can be done through Air bnb as I am not comfortable using a 3rd party app. They refused and said the app is vetted by Airbnb, but I can't find evidence of this. They won't allow me to check in even though I have provided my ID and verified through the app. They won't do the payment through Airbnb either

I reached out to Airbnb customer support, and they are instructing me to go ahead and use the 3rd party site. Even though the policy online says not to. Customer support also refuses to assist with a refund as they are claiming that some cost are allowed to charge a security deposit and that since they claimed they charged one in the reservations they are not going to intervene. Yet they can't tell me what allows some host to do this and others aren't. They also can't tell me what 3rd party site is allowed or what happens when I use this site and can't get my money back.

So I am in the city and stuck between losing my money, paying to a unverified app, or paying for a hotel. Is this new, and have anyone else encountered this?

Edit: I have called Airbnb using the official number. The support agent says some hosts are allowed to collect a security deposit but can't tell me which ones are allowed and which ones are not. She was actually instructing me to go ahead and use the 3rd party app (which is scary). When I said I won't, she said they cant assist with a refund since the host indicated that they charged a deposit are are following the cancelation policy of the host. She didn't answer my question on why they are allowing this one host to use Suite app for payments or when their policy changed. I have asked for an escalation to a supervisor, so I am waiting for them to call me back. ☹️ I also got a hotel.

Hi Everyone

I am doing research into egg freezing in Spain, Mexico, Greece and the Czech Republic (the cost in the US is too high).

I have seen alot of reviews on each country but I can find very from black women or other melanated POCs. Has anyone has their eggs frozen in any of these countries and if you did can you please share your experience.

Thanks in Advance

Hi Ladies

I am doing research into egg freezing in Spain, Mexico, Greece and the Czech Republic (the cost in the US is too high). I have seen alot of reviews on each country but I can find very from black women or other melanated POCs. Has anyone has their eggs frozen in any of these countries and if you did would you please share your experience.

Thanks in Advance

One of the things I see come up a lot with E-2 applications is hiring employees. If you are being told to hire several employees in order to get approved then you need to read this.

Its not actually mandatory and it’s actually fairly common to be approved without having any hired employees in place for your first E2 submission.

A lot of people feel pressure to hire early just to check a box, but hiring just for the sake of hiring is often not the best use of your cash. (Honesty its often a waste if not structured right and could be used for other things.)

Before you hire any employees make sure you have the thought through the following aspects as they often make up a very strong application. Plus they put you in a better position post approval.

1. A clear hiring plan (this is often placed in the operations section of your business plan). You don’t need employees on payroll to get approved, but you do need to show: who you plan to hire, when, the org structure and how that ties to revenue. That’s what supports the non-marginal argument.

2. Thoughtful use of funds. Money at risk doesn’t mean keeping it in your bank account but it also doesnt mean throwing money at random expenses. Look into escrow account for some large expenses. I'’ve seen people overlook tools like this and its actually ensures the investment is irrevocably committed & at risk. Funds are placed with a third-party agent and released automatically only upon visa approval, protecting the investor & meeting USCIS standards. This can pay lease deposits, buy equipment, to hold funds for payroll or other eligible startup costs.

3. Other key details (e.g. insurance, licenses, vendor agreements, letters of intent). Your goals is not only to just get the visa. Plan to build something that actually works after you get it.

4. A strong business plan (that’s actually usable)

Your business plan shouldn’t just be written for immigration. It needs to serve two purposes: A) get you approved B) Leveraged for future lenders.

Approval is one thing. Once approved you then shift focus to building and growing your business so you need a solid plan.

5. Don’t ignore business credit early. Once you’re in the U.S., your ability to access funding, manage cash flow, and scale is heavily tied to your business & personal credit profile. So while you’re focused on structuring your E-2, you should also be thinking about: setting up tradelines, establishing vendor relationships, building credit history early

(E.g., we structure services so they can be reported to help clients build business credit as they grow. Small things like that make a difference over time.)

If you’re in the process and trying to figure out what that balance looks like for your situation, feel free to reach out. I happy to share what I’ve seen work & good luck on your E2 journey.