Can an EU company owner provide services for US customers while on the J-2 in US?

The general rule is that persons holding J-2 status are not allowed to work in this country unless they have employment authorization from U.S.C.I.S. Your situation presents a twist as you are the owner of a small company overseas and propose to provide services to a U. S. company while you are here and invoice it for your services before you obtain the EAD. In my opinion, what you are proposing sounds like unauthorized employment as you will be rendering work for a U. S. company even as you interpose your overseas company as a buffer. This would especially be more apparent if you worked on site for the U. S. company. In the event that you work from home, that might lessen any chance of problems that you might have with the Department of Homeland Security , especially if the U. S. company pays your company or you in Europe for your services and you are not paid directly in the U. S. through your invoice. Due to the limitations of the Lawyers.com Forums, Alan Lee, Esq.'s (the "Firm") participation in responding to questions posted herein does not constitute legal advice, nor legal representation of the person or entity posting a question. No Attorney/Client relationship is or shall be construed to be created hereby. The information provided herein by the Firm is general, and requires that the poster obtain specific legal advice from an attorney. The poster shall not rely upon the information provided herein as legal advice nor as the basis for making any decisions of legal consequence.