Can H1-B and F1 visa holders earn money online?

[Minterest]

Hello,

I have just discovered this page... http://www.ipatrix.com/h1b-f1-visa-earn-money-online/ just go through that page.... it says H1-B and F1 visa holders cant make money online..... Anyone got more info regarding this?

Also if its right then how about changing the address back to my own country (I'm asking about Commission Junction) and then use a US Bank account for payment...Is that allowed? please guide me....

There are plenty of students and working professionals who are in the United States on an H1-B or F1 visa respectively. As in our recently concluded survey on DesiPundit, we noticed that many such individuals follows blogs closely and are also bloggers themselves. Chances are that they have chosen to monetize their blog either through Adsense or other advertising channels. The question, asked by Confused early Saturday morning was whether such income earned through blogs was legitimate and allowed under our visa status.

Source: http://www.ipatrix.com/h1b-f1-visa-earn-money-online/

[Bezel]

Can't say anything about student visas (F1), but H1 folks can legally get paychecks ONLY from the company who holds their H1.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think it can possibly be a problem for you if IRS will decide to audit your account (since you will have to list your additional income in your taxes, which increases a risk of the audit). I have no idea what consequences it may cause...

At the same time as a non-US resident (permanent/citizen) you are ok to establish C-corporation (you can't do S-corp or LLC without being a resident) in US and have your AdSense account earning go there. But, there is same issue - you can't WORK for this C-Corporation yourselves while you are in US. You need to have "formal" CEO/director (not yourselves) who runs it and simply share the profit with you

Personally I know several people who did AdSense earnings being on H1 status, who did establish LLCs still being on H1, but these guys already green card owners, so they don't care much about it anymore...

Don't forget that INS always ask you to provide your last tax returns (several times during green card process), so they can figure out if you got income from extra sources...

Hope it helps, but still get a real legal advice from your immigration attorney to avoid green card issues.

[Minterest]

Anyone with more insights?????/

[ahkip]

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showt...&highlight=h1b

in short - no

[shortanswer]

I did some more research on the web. It seems that H1B's cannot receive 1099 MISC. It may bite you during green card processing.
Has anyone experienced issues with USCIS during gc processing? I think the chances are slim and I have not heard or read online about this.

KC

[chris265]

How are they making money from adsense or geting paid then.

[ahkip]

Originally Posted by shortanswer

I did some more research on the web. It seems that H1B's cannot receive 1099 MISC. It may bite you during green card processing.
Has anyone experienced issues with USCIS during gc processing? I think the chances are slim and I have not heard or read online about this.

KC

you can receive 1099, nothing will happen to you until you change your status. at that time immirgation will check your SSN with IRS. If you didn't use ur SSN, you will be safe.

[sunny210]

Thanks for this info.
I was looking for this from past few days....

[InternetGuru666]

I think thee's some misinformation being spread here.
When you go to the "Tax Information" section of the Google Adsense site, you have 3 questions asked of you:

Are you a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. corporation, or a U.S. partnership?
the answer is No.

Do you have employees in the U.S. related to your participation in AdSense?
the answer is No.

Do you have employees in the U.S. related to your participation in AdSense?
Again, the answer is No.

If you answer No to these questions, you are considered a NON-US publisher, and that means you DO NOT have to report this income.

Personally I dont have a blog that makes so much money, but I think people are fine here with respect to making money online. Google clearly states that your Non-US publisher status does not require you to pay taxes. And since you dont pay taxes on these earnings, you will not have a problem with your Green card application later.

I have also clarified this with an immigration attorney.

Originally Posted by Bezel

Can't say anything about student visas (F1), but H1 folks can legally get paychecks ONLY from the company who holds their H1.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think it can possibly be a problem for you if IRS will decide to audit your account (since you will have to list your additional income in your taxes, which increases a risk of the audit). I have no idea what consequences it may cause...

At the same time as a non-US resident (permanent/citizen) you are ok to establish C-corporation (you can't do S-corp or LLC without being a resident) in US and have your AdSense account earning go there. But, there is same issue - you can't WORK for this C-Corporation yourselves while you are in US. You need to have "formal" CEO/director (not yourselves) who runs it and simply share the profit with you

Personally I know several people who did AdSense earnings being on H1 status, who did establish LLCs still being on H1, but these guys already green card owners, so they don't care much about it anymore...

Don't forget that INS always ask you to provide your last tax returns (several times during green card process), so they can figure out if you got income from extra sources...

Hope it helps, but still get a real legal advice from your immigration attorney to avoid green card issues.