More details to this question:
I am currently working full time as an H1B Visa holder. I want to build an Ecommerce platform website and own it as an individual or partner with a Citizen cofounder. The website will be free and there will be no income or negative income for now. I want to develop and operate the website and marketing and managing it using my spare time receiving no salary or dividend. I want to know will this be against the law. And I want to know if the website goes really well, can I turn it into a profitable one and remain the owner without breaking the law? Thank you!
1 ANSWER
Immigration and Nationality Law Attorney serving New York, NY
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Alan Lee & Arthur Lee, Attorneys at Law
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An H-1B holder can justify building a website and owning it where there is no income involved. If it turns into a business, then it is no longer a hobby and your working on it and deriving income would likely be seen as a violation of law. At that point, you can hand over the active management to a partner or hired manager. Your being a passive investor and only receiving dividends would probably be all right. 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.
Answered on Aug 01st, 2015 at 7:22 AM