Starting LLC on F1 visa
Jun 21st 2004, 5:29 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Starting LLC on F1 visa
Hi,
My fiance and I are in the US on F-1 visas. We are graduate students in
computer science, and we would like to start an internet company. As
far as we know (after reading the necessary documents), we are eligible
to start an LLC. The catch is that we are not allowed to work for it.
And since it will be a startup without a lot of initial capital, we
cannot afford to hire an American employee, at least not in the initial
stage. The question is: Is it possible for us to create an LLC and then
make a contract with our parents' small company in our home country?
Their company will do the actual work, so we will not work in the US
without authorization. If this is possible, can we work for the foreign
company (we'll reside in the US but not work for our US company)? What
about tax issues in that case? We would like everything that we do to
be perfectly legal.
There is no official document explaining such a situation, so any
insights will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lorain
My fiance and I are in the US on F-1 visas. We are graduate students in
computer science, and we would like to start an internet company. As
far as we know (after reading the necessary documents), we are eligible
to start an LLC. The catch is that we are not allowed to work for it.
And since it will be a startup without a lot of initial capital, we
cannot afford to hire an American employee, at least not in the initial
stage. The question is: Is it possible for us to create an LLC and then
make a contract with our parents' small company in our home country?
Their company will do the actual work, so we will not work in the US
without authorization. If this is possible, can we work for the foreign
company (we'll reside in the US but not work for our US company)? What
about tax issues in that case? We would like everything that we do to
be perfectly legal.
There is no official document explaining such a situation, so any
insights will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lorain
Jun 21st 2004, 12:19 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Starting LLC on F1 visa
>Subject: Starting LLC on F1 visa
>From: Lorain [email protected]
>Date: 6/21/2004 1:29 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>Hi,
>My fiance and I are in the US on F-1 visas. We are graduate students in
>computer science, and we would like to start an internet company. As
>far as we know (after reading the necessary documents), we are eligible
>to start an LLC. The catch is that we are not allowed to work for it.
>And since it will be a startup without a lot of initial capital, we
>cannot afford to hire an American employee, at least not in the initial
>stage. The question is: Is it possible for us to create an LLC and then
> make a contract with our parents' small company in our home country?
>Their company will do the actual work, so we will not work in the US
>without authorization. If this is possible, can we work for the foreign
>company (we'll reside in the US but not work for our US company)? What
>about tax issues in that case? We would like everything that we do to
>be perfectly legal.
>There is no official document explaining such a situation, so any
>insights will be greatly appreciated.
>Thanks,
>Lorain
Don't think so. Work is work. Doesn't matter who you work for. If you reside
in the US and are engaged in employment, then you are violating your F-1
status. If you get paid overseas, you are engaged in business which may be
convered by B-1 status, but even that is a stretch. If you value your F-1
status, don't monkey around with it...
About the only thing you can do is to have this "company" in your name and
have nothing to do with it. Then again, what is the point?
>From: Lorain [email protected]
>Date: 6/21/2004 1:29 PM Eastern Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>Hi,
>My fiance and I are in the US on F-1 visas. We are graduate students in
>computer science, and we would like to start an internet company. As
>far as we know (after reading the necessary documents), we are eligible
>to start an LLC. The catch is that we are not allowed to work for it.
>And since it will be a startup without a lot of initial capital, we
>cannot afford to hire an American employee, at least not in the initial
>stage. The question is: Is it possible for us to create an LLC and then
> make a contract with our parents' small company in our home country?
>Their company will do the actual work, so we will not work in the US
>without authorization. If this is possible, can we work for the foreign
>company (we'll reside in the US but not work for our US company)? What
>about tax issues in that case? We would like everything that we do to
>be perfectly legal.
>There is no official document explaining such a situation, so any
>insights will be greatly appreciated.
>Thanks,
>Lorain
Don't think so. Work is work. Doesn't matter who you work for. If you reside
in the US and are engaged in employment, then you are violating your F-1
status. If you get paid overseas, you are engaged in business which may be
convered by B-1 status, but even that is a stretch. If you value your F-1
status, don't monkey around with it...
About the only thing you can do is to have this "company" in your name and
have nothing to do with it. Then again, what is the point?
