When the founders of Instagram aren't busy uploading travel shots or creating new filters, they're advocating for visa reform.
Mike Krieger, one of the original men behind the app, was born in Brazil and only began his career in the United States thanks to a specialized worker visa known as the H-1B, reports Bloomberg Business.
He began working for a startup called Meebo, one of many tech companies that hires employees on visas.
When Krieger found himself transferring jobs to work with Kevin Systrom in 2009, however, he needed to update his visa.
According to Bloomberg, it was an inconvenient and lengthy process that took over three months and one lawyer to complete.
Sometimes, Krieger even wondered if the hassle was worth the employment.
In 2010, Krieger finally got his H-1B renewal. In mere weeks -- less time than the legal process had taken -- Instagram was completed.
The app was released in October of that year, and the newest kind of social media was born.
Official numbers from Instagram estimate users upload 70 million photos and double-tap 2.5 billion times a day.
The app -- long since purchased by Facebook -- has brought Krieger success, but that doesn't stop him from advocating for the difficult path he took to get there.
Citations: Getting a Visa Took Longer Than Building Instagram, Says Immigrant Co-Founder (Bloomberg)
