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Launching website while in H1B visa

I have been moonlighting on a web-based idea for the last several months and now in a stage to launch public beta.

I am in H1B visa and my green card is at least 3 years away.

My plan is to launch the site in stealth mode and once it generates substantial interest, raise capital and run it full time.

Is launching a site without officially registering as a company OK?

Is launching a site while in H1b visa legal?

  • Owning a business in the US is legal even if you’re not in the country. Managing one while in the country will violate your H1b. So technically u need to hire a manager to run it.

    As long as nobody reports you chances are you’ll get away with it. Though when you get bigger or if u make enemies there might be complications.

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  • You probably want to check with a lawyer first. I’d be worried about generating revenue as a business and then having to figure out a way to report it after the fact.

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    • Does it mean that as long as you are NOT generating any money from the business, it is legal to launch and operate a website while in visa

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  • You can own and operate a business in US on H1-B. I started my company while I was on H1 visa and if you are legally reporting your business activities then you are safe. You don’t need to hide the fact that you have setup a company as you are working on it in your own personal time.

    You definitely need to register a company to operate the business and one one type of structure LLC can allow you to be part of the business.

    Plz keep in mind that you cannot work for yourself as you can’t sponsor your own visa so till the time you get your Green Card you need to keep on working for a 3rd party on their visa and subsequently EAD.

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    • This is an old response and I am hoping to get an answer. Initially you said that ‘you can start a company as you are working on it on your personal time’ but then you mention that ‘you cannot work for yourself as you can’t sponsor your own visa so till the time you get your Green Card you need to keep on working for a 3rd party’. These statements are contradicting. Do you mean that we can start a company on H1B but not work for it or have a revenue stream through it? Can you please clarify? Thanks

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  • I am in same situation as questionnaire. I am interested to know did you register your website as legal business or choose to wait for green card?

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