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Working part time for startup while on L1 visa for another employer

4 points by satyajit101 ↗ HN
I am currently working on L1 visa in FAANG.

I want to commit my extra time working for startup for stocks and I dont seek any monetary compensation for my work.

I am not sure if that is allowed under L1 visa category.

Any thoughts or any guidance on this topic?

7 comments

[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 22.2 ms ] thread
mr90210
Hmmm, you better check with a lawyer.
sharadov
Can you have a second job with an L-1 a visa?

Another L-1 visa restriction is the fact that visa holders are not permitted to start their own business while on L-1 status. In order to maintain your status, you must only work for your sponsoring employer and no one else, meaning that you also cannot work part time for another employer simultaneously.

satyajit101
Thank you..That clarifies my doubt.

So no point staying in US and wait for green card for decades.

dbbk
Not sure there's much point staying in the US anyway
jd_illa
check with a lawyer, but I suspect the answer is no. Visa rules tend to be very restrictive in the US and as noted on this thread, those restrictions usually say you can only work for your sponsoring employer and no third party. I don't know if it's possible to amend a L-1 visa so you're working part-time at two different companies (FAANG + your startup). Perhaps that's not something you want to do in any case.

There is a question of risk allocation: if you hold unvested equity, you probably aren't paying taxes on it until it vests or you exercise it (depending on the equity), so would USCIS (who issues visas) know if you are working part-time if there's no cash component? I don't know. But the risk is really high for you and the startup bc if the government does find out that you're violating your visa rules, they can deport you (potentially permanently) and also subject the startup to consequences.

If you are really excited about the startup, it's probably not a bad idea to check with an immigration lawyer about your options (this is something that they could probably answer quickly in a free consult).

funevchat
The answer is always no. The last time I checked with a lawyer, she said I can be a non-executive director of a company for investment purposes. If you do want to do your own startup, then I highly recommend finding out universities that has Entrepreneur in residence programs. The university can apply for your H1B visa and you can then work on your startup and advice other startups in the university.